The controversy erupted over his comments in a weekend radio interview about his opposition to social conservative policies emerging under Prime Minister Stephen Harper's majority government.
``I always say that if, some time, I believed that Canada was really the Canada of (Prime Minister) Stephen Harper, and it was going against abortion, and it was going against same-sex marriage, and that it was moving backwards in 10,000 different ways, maybe I would think about making Quebec a country,'' said the Montreal-area MP in a French-language interview with Radio-Canada.
``Oh yes. Absolutely. If I no longer recognize Canada. For me, my values, I know them very well. But I believe profoundly in Canada and I know that Quebec within Canada can (restore) this all.''
Trudeau, whose father was well known for battling against Quebec independence and opposing many demands for the province to get more power in the federation, also said he was sad to see Quebecers losing their influence in federal government decisions.
``When Quebec is not involved in the governance of this country, this country moves too much toward the right,'' he said. ``It's not necessarily that Canadians don't have the same values as us Quebecers. It's that there's a way of seeing social responsibility, openness towards others, a cultural pride here in Quebec that's necessary for Canada and it saddens me a great deal (to see what's happening now).''
When asked by a Liberal supporter on the micro-blogging Twitter website, whether he was turning towards Quebec separatism, Trudeau clarified his remarks.
``Exactly the opposite,'' Trudeau wrote on Tuesday. ``Canada needs Qc to balance out Harper's vision that I (and many) just don't support.''
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Mike De Souza
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