Mr. Speaker, it could take me quite some time to respond to this, but I shall try to be brief.
Since this morning, we have been hearing all sorts of things. We heard about such things as the homeland of culture, having a unique character and being a distinct society. The hon. member referred to distinct realities in the case of Quebec, etc.
We had Meech, we had Charlottetown, now we have Calgary and tomorrow we may have Canada's Wonderland. Had Walt Disney been a Canadian, Mickey Mouse might be the one making the premiers' declaration. Members opposite should get serious.
One thing being overlooked is Quebec's historical perspective. I am thinking of Quebec's premiers, in particular of Maurice Duplessis. The hon. member for Anjou—Rivière-des-Prairies certainly remembers that, in the fifties, Mr. Duplessis said the Canadian confederation was a treaty of union between two great nations. Not a treaty between typical, unique or distinct societies, or whatever else. Later, Jean Lesage spoke of two founding peoples.
Will the member opposite, who is boasting because he is a government member, tell us here whether or not his government recognizes that Quebecers are a people?