The Flag and Canadian pride

May 31, 2002

An open letter is attached which Minister Stéphane Dion has sent to newspapers regarding the presence of Canadian symbols in Quebec.

 

For information :

André Lamarre Director of Communications Telephone: (613) 943-1838 Fax: (613) 943-5553

On May 6, I stated that I had never met a single Quebecer who had changed his mind about Canadian unity simply because he had "seen a sponsorship." Since then, that statement has been cited in both the French- and English-language media as an indication that I contradicted Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

But my comments did not contradict the Prime Minister : rather, they contradicted a simplistic interpretation of his remarks. According to that interpretation, the Prime Minister is proud of having "sold" Canada to Quebecers, somewhat like how one might advertise a commercial product. I find it a great pity that one would belittle what Prime Minister Jean Chrétien has done for Canadian unity by likening it to advertising hype.

I understand the scepticism behind this interpretation. It is quite right to say that seeing a flag is not enough to kindle love of country in the hearts of its citizens. Rather, it is when citizens take their country to heart that they fly its flag with pride.

But we must consider the context of Quebec. We have a secessionist government whose avowed policy is to do everything in its power to ban Canadian symbols from Quebec soil. That government is determined to take Canada out of Quebec, if it cannot take Quebec out of Canada.

It is even prepared to squander taxpayers’ money to ban the Canadian flag, as it did at the 1999 Quebec Games (Le Soleil, March 13, 1999, A1), or with the renovation of the Jardin zoologique and the Aquarium du Québec in 2001. At that time, the PQ government preferred to pay out $18 million rather than to accept a federal investment and tolerate the presence of the Canadian flag, which Mr. Landry notoriously referred to as "bits of red rag" on January 23, 2001.

I appreciate that people are sick and tired of this flag war. But who started that war, if not the PQ government that wants to ban the Canadian flag? The Government of Canada, for its part, is proud of both our flags, the Maple Leaf and the Fleur de Lys alike. In February 2001, Bernard Landry went so far as to ask Quebec’s then Justice Minister, Ms. Linda Goupil, to remove the Canadian flag from civil wedding ceremonies. "This shows you how deeply this man cares for Quebec," Ms. Goupil fawned to PQ supporters in Lévis on February 25, 2001, apparently seeing this rampant sectarianism as the ultimate expression of Quebec patriotism.

So do we just lie back and take it? Do we let ourselves be intimidated and return to the time not so long ago when some Quebec federalist leaders referred to Canada as little as possible and avoided associating themselves with its symbols? After the 1995 referendum, the Prime Minister of Canada, in his overall plan for unity, decided to call unabashedly for the presence of the Canadian flag and symbols whenever it would be relevant and legitimate to do so. I believe that this decision has helped many Quebecers to display in turn their pride in being both Quebecers and Canadians. Canada will not let itself be driven out of Quebec and Quebecers will resolutely show their will to stay in Canada.

Naturally, none of this can justify turning a blind eye to administrative errors or possible misdealings that may have taken place in the administration of certain federal programs. By turning to the Auditor General as well as the RCMP, and by issuing new directives, the Government of Canada has acted as it should have done in the circumstances. The Prime Minister is determined to get to the bottom of things, because no value is more dear to him than honesty.

Comparative studies rank Canada among the countries where sound management and integrity in the use of public funds are most respected. Our Prime Minister is resolved to further strengthen this reason for being proud of Canada.