Mr. Speaker, I will, if I may, read Motion No. 9 moved by the Bloc Quebecois. Perhaps the Canadian Alliance member will really understand the impact and the concept of citizenship that the Bloc Quebecois is trying to defend.
(2.1) The Commissioner presiding over a citizenship ceremony shall, during the ceremony and in the presence of a representative of the Government of Quebec, give to every new citizen residing in Quebec a copy of the following documents and an explanation of their purpose:
(i) the Charter of the French Language (R.S.Q., c. C-11);
(ii) the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms (R.S.Q., c. C-12);
(iii) the Election Act (R.S.Q., c. E-3.3); and
(iv) the Declaration by the Government of Quebec on Ethnic and Race Relations, signed on December 10, 1986.
Why are we asking that new Canadian citizens be given these documents?
There exists naturally, and we would agree with this, a citizenship which, by definition, is a legal citizenship, one which is granted to members of a political community, with civic, political and social rights.
There is also a citizenship that is part of a political community, with rights and obligations as well, which enables citizens to establish relations with one another. We all agree with this civic and legal definition of citizenship.
What we are proposing here is to extend this citizenship. We fundamentally believe that citizenship can and should be based on a collective identity that would not be built solely on rights and responsibilities but could also incorporate concepts such as the potential for citizens to exercise those rights and responsibilities.
This might involve giving people, through all sorts of tools and documents that we have created, a chance to take part in Quebec social and collective life. We also believe that this citizenship should include the possibility for all citizens to become fully integrated into a community.
What we are proposing is a new type of citizenship based on notions of inclusion, pluralism and openness, and of course on notions that would be unifying and open. What we are calling for is for citizenship not to exist only in legal terms, but to be more widely recognized and included in the bill, through this clause and this amendment.
We believe that the amendment we are proposing today should gain support from both those in favour of one big Canada and those fighting for a sovereign Quebec, which would control its own destiny. This amendment stems from a legacy, a consensus and a recognition of the fact that there is a common public culture particular to Quebec. This culture is the most important spur to action at our disposal to take up the challenge of the integration of new Quebecers. This common public culture defines the way and the method by which the citizens who chose to settle in Quebec can and must participate to the public life.
Personally, I do not think I am mistaken when I say this culture is comprised of three major components, three major lines of force at the heart of Quebec society. What are they? First, it is a society where French is the common public language.
It is a democratic society where participation and contribution of all people are expected and promoted. This democratic participation is recognized and guaranteed by the Loi sur les droits et libertés de la personne, which has the value of a charter.
It is also a pluralistic society that, although having rejected multiculturalism, remains definitely open to numerous contributions from the outside, within limits imposed by the respect of democratic values and the need for intercommunity sharing.
In the name of this common public culture, which is exclusive to Quebec, and the development of French society, whose destiny is so special in America, we ask the federal government to agree to this amendment, which is not only moved by the Bloc Quebecois, but which also has been supported by a number of members of the Quebec community and society.
This amendment has already received, in the context of consideration of Bill C-63, the support of a number of stakeholders. I am talking, among others, of the Haitian Christian community of Quebec, which supported the Bloc amendment during consideration of Bill C-63.
I believe this expresses the will of Quebecers to belong to a society that is open to the world, pluralistic and able to protect citizens' democratic freedoms and rights. Our belief in this fundamental values is what prompted us to create the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. It is precisely our fundamental belief in democracy which moved us to create the Quebec Election Act. It is our belief that pluralism is one of the fundamental values to integration which led the Government of Quebec to issue its declaration on interethnic relations.
What we are calling for today is for the fundamental values of Quebec society, which are characterized by and set out in certain very specific documents, to be handed out to new citizens.
As for Motion No. 23, it is rather odd that my colleague from Wentworth—Burlington would submit such a proposal. His motion reads as follows:
In pledging allegiance to Canada, I take my place among Canadians, a people united in God—
I would remind hon. members of the basic values and concepts to which I have already referred. These are values of openness and pluralism. Nothing must be done that would exclude a group of people who do not believe in God, who do not belong to that community.
In my opinion, this is fundamental. And the notions of inclusion, of pluralism must be included in this bill. I fear that Motion No. 23 would really exclude a number of citizens who do not have such belief in God.
My party will vote against Motion No. 23. Needless to say, my colleagues will support Motion No. 9 proposed by the Bloc Quebecois.
Regarding this motion, I thought it was important to recall the fundamental values enshrined in official instruments passed by Quebec's national assembly. This was done simply to inform new Canadian citizens of the democratic, pluralistic values specific to Quebec's society. These values were accepted unanimously by Quebecers.
Let us inform new citizens of their democratic rights. Let us inform them of their rights and freedoms. Let us allow them to understand clearly that we belong to a French speaking society established in America. The French speaking community in Quebec accounts for 2% of the population of the North American continent. We have expressed our desire to develop and to prosper in French.
Quebec's charter of rights and freedoms shows that. We want new Canadian citizens to know about it.