The latest edition of Maclean's magazine, which has sparked furor in Quebec, is seen at a news stand in North Vancouver on Sept. 24, 2010.Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press
Does chief Conservative Party spokesperson Fred DeLorey speak for Prime Minister Stephen Harper?
I ask this question because, in November of 2006, after the House of Commons approved his motion recognizing "that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada," Mr. Harper told the Toronto Star:
"I know that some people in the rest of Canada will have some difficulty with this, but I repeat that the Québécois are a group of people with a language, a culture, a history and identity, and according to the dictionary definition, that constitutes in cultural, sociological terms, a nation."
And the Prime Minister got some backing for his position from no less than Justin Trudeau, who invoked his father's memory and had this to say in an interview with The Globe and Mail's Roy MacGregor:
"I'm not crazy about it. … It's an unnecessary step on a slippery slope, as I've been saying. But since it says Quebeckers, not Quebec, because it implies no constitutional consequences, and mostly, because it allows us to move on and deal with bigger issues, let's use it to close a door that was foolishly opened."
That was then, it seems.
In the motion slapping Maclean's on the wrist for its corruption cover stories, MPs unanimously adopted the following motion, co-authored by the Bloc and the NDP:
"That this House, while recognizing the importance of vigorous debate on subjects of public interest, expresses its profound sadness at the prejudice displayed and the stereotypes employed by Maclean's Magazine to denigrate the Quebec nation, its history and its institutions."
Asked by the Hill-Times - the newspaper of Parliament Hill - about "passing a motion that included the words 'the Quebec nation' in it," Liberal strategist Greg MacEachern avoided the question - which is understandable, in light of Mr. Trudeau's position.
For his part, Fred DeLorey - chief spokesperson for the Conservative Party of Canada, said:
"As for the words 'Quebec nation,' it was the Conservative government that took the historic initiative of adopting a motion in the House of Commons recognizing that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada."
With Bloc Quebecois strategist Karine Sauvé answering the Hill-Times's question, "Why should we avoid using the word 'nation' to define ourselves? Quebec is a nation!," Canadians have a right to know whether Mr. DeLorey is now speaking on behalf of the leader of his party and of our country.