Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa on the 10th anniversary of his death. Robert Bourassa was the youngest premier of Quebec. He helped build today's Quebec by promoting hydroelectric development. In 1975, he won adoption of the Quebec human rights charter. Although his ideology differed from that of the Bloc Québécois, Mr. Bourassa had a remarkable political career. Elected to represent Mercier in 1966, he left politics in 1993 and died on October 2, 1996.
Robert Bourassa's love for Quebec is best reflected in this quote from a speech he gave on June 22, 1990, after the failure of the Meech Lake accord:
English Canada has to understand very clearly that, no matter what people say or do, Quebec is and always will be a distinct and free society capable of taking charge of its own destiny and its own development.