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House Hansard - 96

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 15, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 96 - Sep/15/22
Mr. Yves-François Blanchet (Beloeil—Chambly, BQ)
  • Sep/15/22 10:28:57 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, its elected officials, members and staff, I would simply like to express my condolences to anyone who is grieving the death of Queen Elizabeth II. We, as nationalists and sovereignists, do this only after much deliberation amongst ourselves. Everyone's feelings should be considered through a historical lens. The history between the British Crown and the Quebec nation is full of dark and sometimes even cruel times. Our history and values irrevocably separate us. However, respect must come first, and so we have a duty to distinguish between the person's institution and policies and sincere grief. It is therefore with no ulterior motives that we express our deepest condolences to the people of England who are grieving. I think members will understand when, after the leaders have given their messages of condolences and we have observed a minute of silence here in the House, the members of the Bloc Québécois withdraw from the chamber and allow Canadian MPs to continue their tributes. I invite all members to later reflect on this situation. In the meantime, our thoughts are with those who are mourning the loss of someone who was a prominent figure over the past three-quarters of a century.
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