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SAINT-LAZARE-DE-BELLECHASSE, Que. — Prime Minister Stephen Harper urged Quebec on Tuesday to resist isolating itself from the rest of the country.

In a speech marking Quebec’s annual holiday known as Fete nationale, Mr. Harper also asked Quebecers to consider voting for his party in October 2015.

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“Never let anyone tell you, ‘Quebec should isolate itself, never participate in major national and international issues,”‘ he said in a speech at a community centre in Saint-Lazare-de-Bellechasse, outside Quebec City.

“Quebec played a role in the creation of Canada, in its growth and development, and in the common sacrifices that mark its history.”

The remarks were a rare attempt by the prime minister to make inroads in the province.

He insisted the voice of Quebecers remains strong in Ottawa, even if the Conservatives have a limited presence in the province. The party won just five of Quebec’s 75 federal seats in the last election.