The difference between today and 1982, when this same Prime Minister was the enforcer of the previous Liberal government to unilaterally patriate the constitution, is that, at the time, Quebec was represented by 74 members of the Liberal Party of Canada in this House. Indeed, Quebec was represented by one Conservative and 74 members of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Pierre Elliott Trudeau had justified Quebec's support for the patriation of the Cthey are going to constitution by saying that the duly elected representatives of Quebec agreed with him. He could therefore proceed. And we were to think that Quebec had been well treated and well served.
History has judged the Prime Minister of the time and the current Prime Minister. Since 1982 in Quebec, no premier— federalist or sovereignist—has dared put his signature to the constitution, which no one in Quebec accepts.
I have news for the current Prime Minister and the government in place: there will never be another 1982.
Never again will the majority of the members representing Quebecers in this House support what this government is up to. Never again will the members representing the majority of the ridings in Quebec, the members of the Bloc Quebecois, people who have something in their heart, allow the government to try to take away from the national assembly even a single ounce of responsibility, a single ounce of power to determine the future of the people of Quebec.
I would give the government notice that there are other opposition parties in this House. I can hardly wait to see how the Conservative Party members from Quebec, who have some respect for the right of the people of Quebec to decide their future—for instance, the member for Chicoutimi, in the sovereignist region of Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean—will vote on this bill. I can hardly wait to see how the Conservatives will vote. I believe they will not stoop to the same level as the Government of Canada.
We can hardly wait, we the members of the Bloc Quebecois and the people of Quebec, to see how the Liberal members from Quebec representing Quebec ridings in the House of Commons are going to behave.
If she had to choose between Quebec and a limousine, is the President of the Treasury Board going to choose the limousine? Is the Secretary of State for Amateur Sport going to opt for satisfying his craving for a limo instead of for Quebec? We shall see.
Which is the Minister of Finance, a man who is constantly letting it be seen that he has a sort of sympathy for the people of Quebec, going to choose: the race for leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada or Quebec? We shall see.
What about the newly promoted Minister of Revenue, in his portfolio for only a few months, another with a limousine, which is he going to choose, the citizens of Outremont in Quebec or his limo? We shall soon see.
What we are seeing today is that the chickens are coming home to roost. In 1982—and hon. members would be wise to listen, for it may improve their knowledge of the reality of Quebec—this Prime Minister committed an extremely serious error in political strategy. All of his government knows this.
Since 1982, the federal government has been dragging along, like a ball and chain, a constitution that has never been accepted by one whole founding people, by one whole province, one of the most important provinces, one that was there from the beginnings of Canada, that was the place where European life in North America began. That province is part of the constitution of Canada solely by obligation; we never signed it. This error committed by the Prime Minister is what we want to correct today.
In 1981, there was 40% support for Quebec sovereignty. Then came the patriation of the constitution, the fruit of the labours of this wonderful Liberal government. In 1995, support went up to 49.6%. I remember having discussed this with eminent colleagues just before the 1995 referendum. Do you know what they told us? “The polls are giving you 35%; and so that is that, sovereignists, that is the last we will hear of you”. If my memory serves me, we got 49.6%.