Mr. Speaker, I am both moved and proud to be speaking for the first time in this House on behalf of the people of Trois-Rivières.
The people of Trois-Rivières who provided me with this opportunity come from all political parties, and I wish to thank them for their support.
Many of them heard and believed in the NDP's message about working together to find solutions to the issues affecting them.
I still have hope that the government will be open, given that many Canadians did not put their trust in the Conservatives. Canadians still expect their voices to be heard.
At a time when then the government is preparing to revisit representation here in the House, why not give real weight to each citizen's vote by implementing a system of proportional representation? And why not give Quebec the status it deserves as a founding nation and as a distinct society?