Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the issue of the supreme court reference.
I have opposed this initiative for these reasons. Every national political party and its leader in this House agrees that this matter, the future of Canada, is ultimately a political decision. A court ruling cannot be a substitute for the common will of Canadians to live together and share the same destiny.
We should not kid ourselves on the ultimate effect this strategy will have. The separatists can only rejoice in the fact that this keeps their issue on the top of the national agenda. The discussion now revolves around how the country can be broken up as opposed to how we can make it work better.
At every turn and every moment of my political life, I have fought for my belief in Canada. Canadians deserve leaders able to see beyond the next horizon, to do what is right instead of succumbing to what is easy. I will never give up my fight for Canada.