Mr. Speaker, on January 21, 1948, the National Assembly adopted the fleur-de-lys as the official flag of Quebec, and an order-in-council to that effect was enacted on March 9, 1950. The premier of the time made it perfectly clear that this flag was to be the flag of all the people of Quebec.
The fleur-de-lys is a symbol of the pride of Quebeckers, and their sense of belonging to a society which has developed within a context of respect for all cultures, and defence of the French language and culture.
The fleur-de-lys is also a symbol of a people whose duty it is to jealously guard this treasure of their society and to take great care that no government whatsoever will take it over for partisan purposes.
I repeat, it belongs, not to one party, but to all the people of Quebec. This flag is the symbol of past battles for freedom, for the defence of democracy, and for the determination of the people of Quebec to achieve their full potential within a North American cultural context.
Long live the flag of Quebec!