Madame Sarkozy

Bloc, PQ huff that Charest let feds hijack Quebec anniversaryELIZABETH THOMPSON and KEVIN DOUGHERTY, MARIANNE WHITE of Canwest News Service contributed to this report, The GazettePublished: Thursday, May 08Even as Governor-General Michaëlle Jean was giving a lunchtime address at the French Senate yesterday, her trip was sparking controversy in both Parliament and the National Assembly.In Ottawa, the Bloc Québécois charged that Jean insulted Quebecers by recommending to France that it look beyond the province's borders to francophones in the rest of Canada."Madame Jean said she would like France to look beyond Quebec," Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe said in question period. "I think for my part that France should look beyond Michaëlle Jean."In an interview in the French daily Le Monde on the weekend, Jean said she would speak about "the other French-speaking Canada" when she met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday."There are a million of them out there fighting to save their language and their culture," Jean said. "I will tell President Sarkozy: 'Look beyond Quebec.' "Duceppe also attacked attempts by the federal government to portray Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations as a pan-Canadian event, accusing Ottawa of trying to usurp the fête."Does the prime minister not realize that the 400th anniversary of Quebec City is the city of Quebec's and the Québécois nation's celebration - not that of the Canadian nation?"The Bloc launched a virulent attack on the Conservative government for its contention that it was Canada that was founded by Samuel de Champlain - not just Quebec."The founding of Quebec City is also the founding of the Canadian state," Prime Minister Stephen Harper told the House of Commons. "The governor-general is today's successor of Samuel de Champlain, the first governor of Canada.""Nothing is more false," shot back Bloc House leader Pierre Paquette. "It is not the birth of Canada that we will celebrate in 2008 - it is the founding of Quebec City, the cradle of the Québécois nation."How can the Conservative government, which recognized the Québécois nation, hijack the 400th anniversary celebrations to do Canadian nation-building?" he later added. "It's shameful."Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon said it is the Bloc that is trying to exploit the celebrations, because it is an outmoded party with no future.In Quebec City, Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois objected yesterday that Jean - "the representative of the queen of England" - will preside at festivities in La Rochelle, France, today to mark the 400th anniversary."All those who, like the governor-general, want to make Canada one nation are rejoicing today that a Quebec premier is defending Quebec's identity so badly," Marois added, charging that Premier Jean Charest is trying to save face by travelling to France next week."How can the premier of Quebec explain his absence at the launch in France of festivities for the 400th anniversary of Quebec City?" Marois demanded.Former PQ premier Jacques Parizeau, who was in the National Assembly gallery, almost burst into applause, but respecting protocol held back, when Marois added, "How is the premier going to correct the impression that we are celebrating the beginning of Canada and not the foundation of Quebec?"

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