- Reaction score
- 3,950
- Points
- 1,260
Bloc attacks Jean's comments on Quebec in France
The Bloc Québécois expressed outrage on Wednesday over remarks made by Canada's Governor General during her trip to France suggesting France "look beyond Quebec" to other Francophone communities in Canada. In an interview published by Le Monde on the weekend, Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean said she intends to speak about "the other French-speaking Canada" when she meets with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday afternoon. "There are a million of them out there fighting to save their language and their culture," Jean is quoted as saying. "And I will tell president Sarkozy, 'Look beyond Quebec.'" n the interview, Jean, a Haitian-born Francophone who settled in Quebec when she was 11, added Quebec City's 400th birthday this year is a celebration of the francophone presence across Canada and North America. But during Wednesday's question period, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe said he's outraged by Jean's suggestion and his party spent much of their section of the daily debate angrily denouncing the monarchy as a ridiculous institution. Duceppe said his party's members had a democratic right to say what they want in the House of Commons. "I think France should look beyond Michaëlle Jean," Duceppe told the House in French. "Mr. Speaker, we are elected. It's not like a monarchy. A monarchy is anti-democratic." The Bloc Leader added it was wrong to portray the celebrations marking the city's 400th anniversary as a Canadian event. "Isn't it the Quebec nation we are celebrating, and not a ridiculous monarchy?" he said. Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended Jean, saying she was merely speaking about the importance of Quebec City's role in Canadian history. "All Canadians celebrate that very important historic event; it's our common heritage," Harper told the House. He then quipped the Governor General was "referring to the importance of the relationship between Canada and France, just as the Bloc does as it participates in the Parliament of Canada." ....