Mr. Speaker, next Sunday, a parade will be held on the streets of Montreal to pay tribute to the national flag of Quebec. It flew from the tower of the Quebec Parliament Building for the first time on January 21, 1948. That seemingly recent date notwithstanding, the fleur de lys is in fact one of the oldest flags in Canada, and its various components recall many centuries of our rich and brilliant history.
A unifying symbol for an entire people, the flag of Quebec is also a symbol of durability, having transcended history in order to become the very incarnation of Quebecois identity. From the moment it was officially reintroduced, the fleur de lys flag has symbolized a deep-seated desire for change, and has made it possible to eliminate the last remnants of a colonial heritage that has become obsolete. In lowering the Union Jack and raising the fleur de lys, Quebec affirmed its own identity, loud and clear.
Our flag has been proudly unfurled by the winds of reform which swept through Quebec during the Quiet Revolution and has quietly multiplied in numbers, to such an extent that it is now found just about everywhere. The fleur de lys flag is not only a reminder of our rich history, but also a symbol of what we are and what we hope to become in future.