Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Brossard—La Prairie.
I am proud to speak today to Bill C-20 since this debate is very important to me. In addition to the issue of the majority and the clarity of the question, this debate deals with a particularly important point, namely what would be at stake should there be a referendum, namely the breakup of Canada.
We have to put forward this legislation because the choice the people of Quebec would have to make for the third time in 20 years is fundamental. We have to make sure our democratic ideal remains untarnished.
We are doing what we are doing because we owe it to all Canadians. In a word, we owe it to Canada. When our country is envied around the world, the world can expect no less than that we ensure the transparency of the referendum process.
We do not want to determine the question because that is the job of the national assembly, but we have the responsibility and the duty to ensure that the process does not give rise to the underhandedness we saw in 1980 and in 1995.
We need to set the criteria that will guide the conduct of the House of Commons and the Government of Canada in determining what constitutes a clear question and majority. That is our duty as Canadian parliamentarians.
The people of Quebec have the right to determine their own political future. Nobody on this side of the House is denying it. All we want to do is ensure the choice they would make through a referendum is a fully informed one, which means the question must be clear.
What we want is for their choice to be shared by a sufficient number of supporters, and for it to be the unequivocal expression of the will of the people, which implies a clear majority. It is not surprising that under such conditions the supreme court in its opinion insisted to such an extent on the concept of clarity.
Our determination to act is based on the parameters set by the supreme court with regard to the referendum process. We have been blamed countless times for having asked the supreme court to clarify certain aspects of the referendum question. We did it, fully aware that some people would not be pleased. We decided to do it anyway because we do not see democracy as a toy or as a credit card one can use as one pleases without being accountable.
Democracy finds its true meaning when it allows people to have real influence on their future. That must be the objective pursued in any referendum. Was it the objective pursued by the PQ government in the 1980 and 1995 referendums? We all know the answer to that is no. The objective was to find a question that would allow the PQ government to get as many votes as possible. That is why we have no choice but to step in to ensure that the basic requirements of democracy will be met in a possible third referendum.
I would be lying if I said we get any pleasure in doing what we are doing today. Canada is a country that works well, but it is also a demanding country to govern. It faces many challenges at the dawn of the new millennium. We would far prefer to devote all of our efforts to the substantial challenges of economic growth and jobs but we would be derelict in our duty to Canadians if we did not deal with this question.
Democracy consists of giving the people a voice, but in a referendum on secession everything has to proceed in a context of clarity with a clear question and a clear majority. All of the trumped up precedents and arguments used by the separatist leaders to advance their cause are now coming home to roost because their initiatives have been based on ambiguous and misleading questions. That is what has to change if the Bouchard government, which certainly has no lack of other issues to deal with, goes ahead with its plan to hold another referendum during its current mandate.
This debate could have taken a totally different turn had Mr. Bouchard responded positively to the Prime Minister's proposal. What was that proposal? The Prime Minister of Canada proposed in good faith to set aside the referendum debate and to work together toward solving the problems that really concern Canadians. What was the answer given by the Premier of Quebec? True to form, he said no.
Should we be surprised? No. Mr. Bouchard is a prisoner of his option. He is a prisoner of his party, which wants a third referendum at all costs.
I cannot accept the breakup of my country, of our country. We are all Canadians. We are part of a large family, and it is our ancestors, mine and those of the members over there who are trying to break up our country, who helped to build this great country.
As a francophone member from northern Ontario, I am proud of my language and I am proud of my beautiful country, and that is why I support this bill.