OTTAWA – The Green Party of Canada wishes all Quebecers a very happy Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. On June 24, Canadians from coast to coast celebrate Quebec, its language, its culture and its territory.
"Saint-Jean is an opportunity to say loud and clear that Quebec is the bearer of the Francophonie in Canada and North America,” said Green Party Leader Elizabeth May (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands). “Given the recent cutbacks to French language services in Ontario, one of the places - along with the Acadians in the Maritimes and pockets of strong Francophone communities across Canada - we are reminded that Quebec remains one of the only places on the continent where people can live and work in French.”
Said Green Party Deputy Leader Daniel Green. "For me, Saint-Jean is also a celebration of the territory of Quebec. Its forests, lakes, rivers and the great St. Lawrence River challenge us to protect them, If we do not act now to mitigate the effects of climate change, the entire province of Quebec will be affected."
Mr. Green added that the best gift the federal government could give Quebec this Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day would be to actively work towards eliminating fossil fuels instead of allowing the expansion of tar sands caused by the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline. “Indeed,” he said, “because of this expansion, even with new pipelines, more Alberta oil will pass through Quebec by train posing both safety and environmental risks to Quebecers.”
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For more information or to arrange an interview contact:
Rosie Emery
Press Secretary
613-562-4916x206
rosie.emery@greenparty.ca