MINISTER STÉPHANE DION REACTS TO
COMMENTS BY PREMIER LUCIEN BOUCHARD

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, October 29, 1997 – With respect to the decision by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien to hold a free vote on amending section 93 of the Constitution, Premier Lucien Bouchard said yesterday, in English:

"It’s the best way to find a scapegoat for a prime minister who has no conviction personally. [...] It’s a real lack of courage."

Mr. Bouchard’s statement raises two comments.

First, everyone knows that Mr. Chrétien has deep convictions that, in many cases, are simply different from Mr. Bouchard’s. Every time Mr. Bouchard makes unfair personal attacks, he must realize that he harms the quality and the serenity of public debate.

Second, Mr. Chrétien’s decision to authorize a free vote on a matter of denominational rights is completely justified from a democratic perspective. When a decision is of particular moral significance, the Government, while indicating its preference, can let its members vote according to their personal convictions. It is not required to do so, but it can authorize a free vote.

In this case, the Government is convinced that the constitutional amendment being considered would be good for Quebec and is based on a consensus. It also believes that its opinion is shared by the vast majority of Liberal members of Parliament, who will nevertheless vote according to their personal convictions.

Since the beginning of this issue, Mr. Bouchard’s arguments have defied common sense. It would apparently have been more democratic not to strike a parliamentary committee on the constitutional amendment as such than to strike one, to vote in only one parliament rather than two, and to hold a party vote rather than a free vote.

I have never called Mr. Bouchard undemocratic, nor do I consider him to be so. Once again, however, he is showing a deplorable lack of understanding of how democracy works.

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