Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in Quebec, thousands of people marked the 50th anniversary of the Quebec flag.
Adopted in 1948 by the government, the flag was well received by the people. The Gazette even pointed out that the Fleur de Lys “takes heraldic data into account and is an emblem of exceptional beauty”.
At the beginning of the quiet revolution, the Fleur de Lys became the symbol of Quebec's distinctiveness and desire to achieve self-determination. Today, Quebeckers of all political stripes feel that their flag is the symbol of a pluralist community open to the world and that continues, as the Council of Europe pointed out, to be an example to follow in the treatment of minorities.
Since respect for one another is the rule in Quebec, the Bloc Quebecois is confident that the Fleur de Lys will remain for all Quebeckers a symbol of rallying and tolerance and a guarantee of the freedom of speech and opinion.