Prime Minister Stephen Harper took the historic step Wednesday of recognizing Quebeckers as a nation within Canada. On the floor of the House of Commons, Mr. Harper introduced a motion that “this House recognize that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada.”
Mr. Harper intervened before a Bloc Québécois motion that planned to force MPs to take a stand Thursday by asking whether they believed Quebeckers to be a nation.
However, he stated: “Our position is clear. Do the Québécois form a nation within Canada? The answer is yes. Do the Québécois form an independent nation? The answer is no.”
Mr. Harper’s motion will likely be put to a vote Monday. The Bloc motion will come a day later.
Quebec Premier Jean Charest saw the motion as an important step for national unity and a sign of major progress for Quebec.
Ned Franks, professor emeritus at Queen’s University and a leading authority on Parliament, said Mr. Harper is “playing with fire.”
“It risks becoming the first step in a slippery slope, because of that equating of nation with nation state,” he said.
