Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, its elected officials, members and friends, as well as all those we represent, I want to extend my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims from Quebec, Canada, Iran and elsewhere in the world. This terrible tragedy cast a permanent shadow over the end of 2019.
We must not just point the finger at who is to blame; rather, we also need to take stock and to understand that this tragedy is the result of military tensions and that it could have been prevented through lasting peace. I cannot and do not want to overlook that fact. However, Quebeckers, Canadians and people from every nation affected are entitled to the whole, unvarnished, hard truth, with all the possibilities that today's technology has to offer.
Accordingly, we will, of course, support the efforts of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is only fitting that the families of victims be offered some compensation to help mitigate the serious daily and lasting impact of this tragedy. However, let us not delude ourselves. These mothers, brothers, daughters and spouses are not coming back, and no amount of money will change that.
There is diplomacy. Diplomatic relations with any country are no more than common courtesy between friendly countries. They are the preferred channel of communication between states that recognize the other's relative weight for the purposes of prevention and redress. The notion of justice is also crucial, and we will also support any measures that will make it possible to obtain the all-too-insufficient relief that will come with the application of credible, neutral and, if necessary, tough institutional justice. However, we are of the opinion that there are only two solutions, if any, to this tragedy, though they may be imperfect and late in coming; I am talking about compassion and, above all, lasting peace.