MONTREAL (CBC) - The Bloc Québécois and Parti Québécois expressed outrage on Wednesday over remarks made by Canada's Governor General during her trip to France suggesting that country should "look beyond Quebec" to other francophone communities in Canada.

In an interview published by Le Monde on the weekend, Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean said she intends to speak about "the other French-speaking Canada" when she meets with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Wednesday afternoon. "There are a million of them out there fighting to save their language and their culture," Jean is quoted as saying. "And I will tell President Sarkozy, 'Look beyond Quebec.'"

In the interview, Jean, a Haitian-born francophone who settled in Quebec when she was 11, added Quebec City's 400th birthday this year is a celebration of the francophone presence across Canada and North America.

But during Wednesday's question period, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe said he's outraged by Jean's suggestion, and his party spent much of their section of the daily debate angrily denouncing the monarchy as a ridiculous institution.

Duceppe said his party's members had a democratic right to say what they want in the House of Commons.

"I think France should look beyond Michaëlle Jean," Duceppe told the House in French. "Mr. Speaker, we are elected. It's not like a monarchy. A monarchy is anti-democratic."

The Bloc Leader added it was wrong to portray the celebrations marking the city's 400th anniversary as a Canadian event.

"Isn't it the Quebec nation we are celebrating, and not a ridiculous monarchy?" he said.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended Jean, saying she was merely speaking about the importance of Quebec City's role in Canadian history.

"All Canadians celebrate that very important historic event; it's our common heritage," Harper told the House.

He then quipped that the Governor General was "referring to the importance of the relationship between Canada and France, just as the Bloc does as it participates in the Parliament of Canada."

Bloc deputy leader Pierre Paquette described Jean's advice to the French and her comments on the anniversary as "an insult to the Quebec nation."

Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon, the Tories' Quebec lieutenant, dismissed the Bloc's outrage as evidence of a desperate party seeking to justify its continued existence in Ottawa by fomenting scandal.

PQ attacks Charest for skipping Quebec 400th ceremony in France

Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois echoed Duceppe's attack on the Governor General, criticizing premier Jean Charest for letting Jean represent Quebec in France this week instead of going himself.

She accused Charest of doing little to defend Quebec's identity, and demanded he justify his absence from events in France this week.

Charest said there is no contradiction in the Governor General attending ceremonies in France, and the Québécois nation's special relationship with the country.

Missing one event won't break that bond, the premier said. Charest is travelling to France later this month.

With files from the Canadian Press

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