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"WHY A QUEBECER WANTS TO KEEP
BRITISH COLUMBIA AS PART OF HIS COUNTRY"
NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS TO
THE CANADIAN CLUB
HOTEL VANCOUVER
VANCOUVER, BRITISH
COLUMBIA
OCTOBER 17, 1997
I want to tell you why, as a Quebecer, I want to keep British Columbia as part
of my country. I want to tell you why my nine-year-old daughter, Jeanne, should
grow up with B.C. still a part of her future. I want to tell you why I will
fight against the separatist leaders in Quebec who want to take British Columbia
away from me.
Your province is not some alien place to me,
three thousand miles from my home. B.C. is part of my country, and it is a part
of my country that I am very proud of. When I look at your history, your
culture, your innovations that have improved all of Canada, I know that it is
worth fighting as a Quebecer to stay in a country that includes British
Columbia.
Your history is a record of growth and progress
that makes one of the great stories of exploration and pioneering in the world.
We know that when Captain Cook came to these shores he found a sophisticated
culture that had been thriving here for thousands of years. We know too that the
settlers who followed Cook and Vancouver and Juan de Fuca also achieved great
things in this land.
There were only 12,000 colonists when British
Columbia voted to join Confederation in 1871. They could not have imagined that,
126 years later, the province would have a population of just under 4 million
drawn from every corner of the globe. Who would have guessed when William Van
Horne announced that Canadian Pacific Railways would extend its line a few miles
from Port Moody to Vancouver, that he was laying the tracks for one of the great
cities of the world?
It is amazing what you have achieved within
Canada. This story is part of my history too as a Canadian. But perhaps your
greatest achievement is not how you have overcome mountains and rivers, but how
you have succeeded as human beings in reconciling diversity. Like Montreal,
Vancouver is a multicultural community where people of many different
backgrounds have learned to get along. Of course, just as there have been
difficulties between English and French in Montreal, so too in the past there
have been tensions in this city between different groups.
But lessons were learned, and now both our cities
are tolerant communities. While we should not forget the sad episodes of our
past, such as the Head Tax laws that once faced Chinese immigrants, today we can
celebrate that the Vancouver area has given Canada its first federal Cabinet
ministers of East Indian and Chinese origin, in my colleagues Herb Dhaliwal and
Raymond Chan. I also applaud the work of my colleague Hedy Fry as Minister
responsible for Multiculturalism. You may have seen the recent study
commissioned by Canada Immigration which showed that Vancouver was rated as the
most tolerant and welcoming city in Canada towards immigrant groups. This is an
achievement that you can all be proud of.
While it is a cliché for politicians travelling
West to come to B.C. and praise your mountains, it is not your mountains but
your people that most make me want to keep B.C. as part of my country. B.C. has
given Canada many great figures in our national life, from Emily Carr to Bryan
Adams. And it would be impossible to over-estimate the impact of Terry Fox's
courage and heroism on Canadians' sense of ourselves. I am sure that B.C. will
give us many more outstanding Canadians in the future, and I want to share in
the pride of being their fellow citizen as well.
British Columbia doesn't only have a great
history, but a great future. When Prime Minister Jean Chrétien came to
Vancouver two weeks ago, he said "I have seen the future and it is working
here in British Columbia." Who can tell what we will accomplish together in
the 21st century?
While Vancouver was the end of the line for
people travelling West when the CPR was built, today it is just the beginning,
as Vancouver is indisputably Canada's gateway to Asia Pacific, where much of the
economic growth of the future will come from. Here again, your multicultural
diversity will be an asset more than ever in the global markets of the next
century.
As a political scientist and now as a politician
myself, I have come to admire British Columbia's innovations in the field of
public policy. B.C.'s reforms to its income support system for children have
provided an inspiration for the integrated, national approach to child poverty
that the federal government and the other provinces are now pursuing. As a
father, I am proud that the new National Child Benefit your premier helped
champion means that children across Canada will be waking up to brighter
futures. Our government recently endorsed pharmacare as a long-term national
goal, so once again a B.C. program can provide a model for all Canadians. These
are concrete examples of how our federal system works. I want B.C. to stay part
of my country so that it can continue to bring its own perspectives to bear on
the challenges we face together.
Your history, your culture, your innovative
solutions to our national problems, the potential you represent for the future.
These are all aspects of my country that I value, and that I will try to prevent
anybody from taking away from me. We must all work together for a stronger
Canada and a stronger B.C.
Working together for a stronger B.C.
Working together means cooperating as individual
citizens, in the private sector, in community groups, but also as governments.
Different levels of government must work together with the community to solve
our common problems. And in fact, while there is often more attention paid to
the problems between the federal and provincial governments than to our
successes, there are many areas where the governments of B.C. and Canada have
been able to work together constructively. I want to share with you four
examples of fruitful collaboration.
Transportation has always been crucial to the
B.C. economy, from making the completion of the CPR a condition of joining
Confederation to making "man in motion" the theme of Expo ‘86. In
keeping with this, the federal government has done much in recent years to
improve B.C.'s transportation policies and infrastructure. Vancouver is now a
major transportation hub for the continent -- and the departure point for all
Team Canada trade missions to Asia. The "Open Skies" Agreement means
8,000 more flights a year for Vancouver International Airport, which is now the
number two airport in North America for Pacific destinations.
I was very pleased to assist my colleague David
Anderson with the sterling work he did in keeping Canadian Airlines flying.
Canadian is the most important carrier for Western Canada, but the restructuring
facilitated by the federal, Alberta and B.C. governments is good for all the
country.
Or take B.C.'s role in the Asia-Pacific. As I
mentioned, B.C.'s role as Canada's gateway to Asia is a benefit to the whole
country. Naturally, by its location and population, B.C. has gained much from
Asia-Pacific trade. But the role that the federal government has played in
opening Asian markets to B.C. business is important to recognize. B.C.
businesses have benefited greatly from the Prime Minister's Team Canada missions
to Asia. Canada's hosting of the APEC summit in Vancouver will inject some $23
million into your city's economy in one week. And in the longer term the summit
will raise your already considerable international profile.
Consider also the field of immigration. British
Columbia has often stressed that federal policy must consider B.C.'s unique
immigration patterns, which are connected with your Asia-Pacific location. So
this spring, Premier Clark and Prime Minister Chrétien shook hands on a new
deal for immigration settlement, so that B.C. will get a fair share of
settlement funding. As the Premier said, the agreement was "a win both for
Canada and for B.C." And just two weeks ago, responding to B.C. concerns,
Finance Minister Paul Martin and Revenue Minister Herb Dhaliwal announced a
delay in the foreign assets reporting requirement, removing a major irritant to
business immigrants.
Finally, even in the area of fisheries, which
sometimes seems to be only a source of acrimony between Victoria and Ottawa, we
should not forget the important progress we have already made. In April, we
signed an agreement that will increase cooperation between the two governments,
the salmon industry and stakeholders in the management and conservation of this
resource. Premier Clark said the signing represented "an historic day for
British Columbians" and "more proof that cooperation between our two
levels of government can bring real gains for us all." Three months later,
the two governments signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly review the
status of the West Coast fishery and their respective roles and responsibilities
in managing it.
The challenges we must face together
I could mention other fields -- labour market
training, the Softwood Lumber Agreement, funding for technology research --
where B.C. has benefited by constructive federal-provincial cooperation, but now
I want to deal with some of the challenges we face. Two areas that stand out are
the fisheries issue, forever in our headlines, and what actions our governments
can take to deal with B.C.'s slowing economy.
We must make sure that the fishermen of British
Columbia get a fair share of the salmon catch compared with their American
counterparts -- and ensure that there will still be enough salmon around to
sustain the fishery twenty, fifty, a hundred years from now. We must find a
long-term solution.
At times, the fact that all of us share these
goals is obscured by the debate over the best way to reach them. Yes, the
federal government and its B.C. counterpart do not always see eye to eye on
tactics. But British Columbians are also divided amongst themselves on the best
approach to take. Some clearly favour aggressive action such as that taken by
blockading the Malaspina ferry. Others, including many representatives of your
tourism industry, publicly favour a more diplomatic, constructive approach. But
we all want to get the best possible deal for B.C. fishermen and their families.
Tough talk and threats may make waves, but they
don't make progress. I for one applaud the solid work my colleague David
Anderson and Prince Rupert Mayor Jack Mussallem have done to restore the Alaska
ferry service. It means millions of dollars in business activity are going back
into Prince Rupert -- dollars vital to the local economy and the families who
depend on it. And I also applaud what former UBC President David Strangway is
doing to get talks on the Pacific Salmon Treaty back on track for British
Columbians.
While the fisheries issue is a challenge, it is
being played out against the backdrop of the broader challenge of ensuring
growth in the B.C. economy. Some sectors of your economy are performing well:
small businesses are being rapidly established and self-employment is up 15.3%
over the last twelve months; retail sales are doing reasonably well outside
Vancouver; and emerging manufacturing and knowledge-based industries are strong
performers. But the fact that the plastics and computer services sectors are
performing well is of little comfort to a sawmill worker in the Cariboo who has
lost his job because his mill was sold.
It would be wrong to assume that B.C. has been
experiencing boom times in recent years. We know that the economic cycles of
B.C. are not identical to those of Ontario or Quebec. We know the need for a
strategy to address the challenges of the B.C. economy. That is why the
governments of British Columbia and Canada are working together to maximize the
benefits your province gets as our gateway to Asia-Pacific. It is why we are
working together to restructure the fishery. It is why we came to an agreement
on job training that will tailor programs to the specific retraining needs of
unemployed British Columbians. It is why we are supporting innovations in
technology, helping to finance the Ballard fuel cell and basing Canada's
national particle physics research lab at UBC.
Separation is not an option
We have made progress together. But I know there
are still areas of disagreement. I know that British Columbians sometimes get
frustrated with a federal government that is 3,000 miles away physically, but
can seem at times even further away in terms of its understanding. I can
understand the frustrations this causes for many people, including some of your
political figures, which brings me to the remarks made two weeks ago by Senator
Pat Carney.
When I came into politics almost two years ago, I
knew I would have to fight against separatists in all kinds of places. But I
never thought I would face a threat from that hot bed of revolution, the
Conservative Senate caucus. I did not mean, to paraphrase Senator Carney's
recent speech title, "to turn a nice lady like her into a separatist."
I know that Senator Carney has worked hard for her province and her country, and
I am sure that if she were asked she would say that she is proudly 100%
Canadian. But I should explain to you why I reacted so strongly to her words,
even though I know there is no serious support for the idea of separatism in
this province.
To understand me, you need to know that I came
into politics not only to fight separatism, but also to fight separatist
blackmail. Those who say "give this or that thing to my province or else we
will break up Canada" commit a serious moral error. Nobody should threaten
his or her fellow citizens in this way, and this is not the way to discuss
things and make progress in a democracy. In a country as democratic, as
tolerant, as rich, and as successful as Canada, there is nothing to justify
either secession or the threat of secession. Nothing in Quebec, or in any other
province or territory of Canada.
Perhaps because Canada has been talking about
separation for so long, we sometimes lose sight of how dangerous and wrong the
idea of secession is. Secession is a political act in which some people reject
some of their other fellow citizens. The Quebec separatist says, "I will
not have any more ties with British Columbians or other Canadians except for
those of cold economic self-interest. Only with Quebecers will I have ties of
national solidarity."
In a democracy, we should not threaten to desert
some of our fellow citizens: we should try to embrace and help all of them.
Democracy is a principle that requires solidarity and not rupture, and it is
very difficult to reconcile secession with democracy. The letters that I have
written to the government of Mr. Bouchard were intended to highlight this
difficulty. It is not just a coincidence that international law doesn't
recognize the right of secession except in a colonial situation or situation of
violent oppression, which is to say in situations where the rights of
citizenship do not exist for all.
Secession is an extreme solution, one of the most
divisive acts possible in a society. This is why in Quebec I am fighting not
only secession, but also the tactic of using secession as a threat. Secession is
too serious to use as a bargaining chip.
You, the people of British Columbia, are very
attached to Canada. As Prime Minister Chrétien has said, it's here that one
sees the biggest Canadian flags flying in the wind. But when I said recently
that the current difficulties of the salmon industry don't justify secession,
some people interpreted that as a lack of respect and sensitivity on my part
towards the people of British Columbia. It is as if I am showing a lack of
respect because I am so committed to British Columbia's remaining part of my
country. This is absurd, and it is precisely this absurd attitude that we must
fight together everywhere in Canada.
As your federal Minister of Intergovernmental
Affairs, I am very aware of the importance of salmon to this province. In fact,
one of my first memories of B.C. was when my friend Professor Donald Blake of
UBC invited me to go with him on a salmon fishing trip. While sports fishing is
important to many British Columbians, it is your commercial fishermen who face
the toughest challenges today. Working to get an agreement with the United
States on the Pacific salmon fishery that is fair to British Columbians is one
of the items at the top of our government's agenda.
I share your frustration that the issue has not
yet been resolved, though I do not believe that confrontation will produce the
results we all want. Coming as I do from a city which is no stranger to the
anguish unemployment brings, I can readily sympathize with the fishermen in your
coastal communities who are losing not just their jobs, but their way of life.
The issue goes beyond that. Salmon swim not only in your ocean and rivers, but
also in the very soul of your province.
But I repeat: there are no issues in any province
that justify secession, or even the threat of secession. No Canadian should feel
threatened with the loss of his or her country. We must all, in every province,
renounce using the threat of break-up as a political weapon.
This threat is not a very effective weapon in any
case. Take the debate over constitutional recognition of Quebec. If you say to
Canadians outside Quebec that they must recognize Quebec's distinctiveness or
Quebec will separate, support for such recognition falls well below 50%. But if
you ask people whether they recognize that the unique character of Quebec, its
language and its culture, is a great Canadian value, a fundamental part of our
Canadian identity, the vast majority of Canadians outside Quebec will agree.
If you explain that we can reconcile the
diversity of Canada, including Quebec's uniqueness, with the principles of
equality of citizens and the equal status of the provinces, support for
recognizing Quebec is even higher. Just look at the popular support for the
principles of the Calgary Declaration. An Angus Reid poll shows that 73% of
Canadians, including no less than 70% of British Columbians, think that the
premiers' national unity initiative is "a positive step in the right
direction." And a new Environics poll shows that around 70% of Canadians --
including 68% of British Columbians and 68% of Quebecers -- support recognizing
the unique character of Quebec in the Constitution, as long as any advantage
this may give to Quebec is made available to the other provinces. It is because
Canadians judge that the principle of equality in diversity is good in and of
itself that they support the Declaration. It is in this spirit that I urge
citizens to participate in the consultation process that Premier Clark and his
colleagues have launched to discuss the Calgary Declaration. This is an
initiative that will help keep Canada together so that, as Quebecers and British
Columbians, we can continue to share this marvellous country.
Conclusion
I truly want B.C. to remain part of my daughter
Jeanne's country. I want her to see the sunlight filtering through the trees in
the Carmanah Valley or the morning mist while crossing on the ferry to Vancouver
Island, and to know that these special places belong to her. I want her to have
opportunities that extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and beyond. I want
her to experience the exuberance and dynamism of Vancouver and its people, and
know that they are part of her country. I want her to feel the pride that comes
from having Rick Hansen as a fellow citizen. In short, British Columbians are a
vital part of Canada. And I do not want Lucien Bouchard -- or anyone else -- to
take this away from her.
Those of you here today who have children are as
determined as I am to pass a united Canada on to them. So I would urge you, as
British Columbians and Canadians, to ask yourselves why you want to keep Quebec
as part of your country. Think about it. Then share your conclusions with your
friends. You might even want to share them with your politicians and even with
your self-proclaimed leaders, the radio talk show hosts.
I want your voice, the voice of the citizens, to
be heard across Canada, so that Quebecers and other Canadians will know that
British Columbians want to build a stronger, more united Canada for the 21st
century that includes Quebec, B.C., and all the other regions of this country
working together as partners, as fellow citizens, and as friends. This is my
Canada, this is our Canada, this is the Canada that we will keep together.
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