Mr. Speaker, René Lévesque passed away 30 years ago today. I think we can all agree that he played a key role in building Quebec.
We can all honour his memory because our regard for him transcends party lines. He was a democrat who convinced Quebeckers that we really could represent ourselves. He loved Quebec and Quebeckers and recognized in them a great people. He also loved the Gaspé and was a staunch defender of our regions. He was cultured, he appreciated the good things in life, and he loved being alive. He was the sort of progressive who was able to lead the charge while remaining in step with his fellow Quebeckers. He was a proud man, and he invited us all to be proud of our culture, proud to defend it, and even prouder to share it with the world.
His gift to us was a tangible and indestructible sense that we are complete as we are, that we share a common destiny, that we exist. That is why we consider René Lévesque to be the father of the Quebec nation.