Premier Sees Opportunity In Court Decision

Premier Pat Binns of Prince Edward Island has chosen to make public a letter to M. Gilles Duceppe, leader of the Bloc Québécois, because of his concern that the true message of the Supreme Court Justices concerning the separation of Québec is being distorted.

In a letter to M. Duceppe, the PEI Premier takes the Bloc leader to task for ignoring the true message of the Supreme Court on the reference questions submitted by the Federal Government. The Premier was reacting to a September 4 letter from M. Duceppe in which aspects of the Court's ruling were used to bolster the sovereignists' arguments for a new partnership following Québec's path to sovereignty. According to Premier Binns, the selective use of quotes from the decision amounts to a distortion of the Judges' true message and is a separatist's view of Plan B.

The PEI Premier sees things differently. "What I see in the Court's decision is a rejection of extreme positions on Canada's future. It is rather a guidance for pursing the founding ideals of our truly great nation – a nation pleading for fulfilment and not failure. I see in the judges' analysis a new urgency and opportunity for the exercise of political leadership to achieve national reconciliation where differences are respected and where special needs are accommodated. That's what our kind of federalism was designed to do. I call on political leaders who believe in Canada to take guidance from the Court and to work with new energy to realize Canada's unique potential."

Premier Binns repeats a point made in an earlier letter to M. Duceppe that Prince Edward Islanders have, since before Confederation, been allies of Québec in having a federation where historic identities are preserved and fostered. He extends the same objective within Confederation to the Aboriginal peoples because all three share aspects of vulnerability.