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Prime Minister Stephen Harper held up Quebec City as the birthplace of Canada in a passionate rebuttal to Bloc Québécois attacks on the Governor-General and remarks she made that have enraged some sovereigntists.
In an interview published by the French newspaper Le Monde on the weekend, Michaëlle Jean said she intends to speak about the importance of Canadian francophones who live outside Quebec when she meets with President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday.
“There are a million of them out there fighting to save their language and their culture,” said Ms. Jean, who is in France to underline the significance of this year's 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City.
“And I will tell President Sarkozy, ‘Look beyond Quebec,'” she said.
France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, right, gestures, as he welcomes Governor-General Michaelle Jean at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Wednesday. (Michel Euler/AP)
That prompted an angry outburst by Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe, who dismissed Ms. Jean and the monarchy she represents as “ridiculous.”
“I think France should go beyond Michaëlle Jean,” Mr. Duceppe said during Question Period.
“The representative of the Queen repeated that the 400th anniversary celebrated France and Canada,” he said. “Does the Prime Minister realize that we're talking about the 400th anniversary of Quebec City and of the Quebec nation? Isn't it the Quebec Nation that we're celebrating and not a ridiculous monarchy?”
Mr. Harper said Ms. Jean was referring to the importance of the relationship between Canada and France.
“Four hundred years ago, in Quebec City, our country was born in France,” the Prime Minister said. “The foundation of Quebec City is also the foundation of Canada. The Governor-General is the successor of Samuel de Champlain, the first governor of Canada.
“All Canadians celebrate that very important historic event. It's our common heritage,” he said to a prolonged standing ovation by members of his party.
Ms. Jean arrived in Paris on Tuesday to kick off a five-day trip that will include meeting with Mr. Sarkozy, attending ceremonies in Normandy marking the 63rd anniversary of VE-Day, and visiting Canadian war graves in Beny-Reviers.
On Tuesday, she told a news conference that both Canada and France want to celebrate the “permanence of the French fact” in America, “more particularly” in Canada.
“This dimension is extremely alive back home, in Quebec obviously, but also in other francophone communities in Canada.”
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion also jumped into Wednesday's fray with the Bloc, saying he was proud that Quebec City is “considered the cradle of francophones in North America, the cradle of Quebeckers, French Canadians and all Canadians.”
With a report from The Canadian Press
