"This house recognizes that the Quebecois form a nation within a united Canada," stated the resolution, which passed by a vote of 266-16.

Autonomy and independence for Francophone Quebec is a recurring issue in Canadian politics -- the province held and lost two separatist referendums in 1980 and 1995.

Harper proposed the resolution last week in a surprise move meant to pre-empt plans by the separatist Bloc Quebecois to define all Quebecers as a nation -- without mentioning Canada.

It was the first time a prime minister and parliament had recognized the concept of "nation" for the province, even if only as a symbolic gesture.

Political analysts said Harper hoped to rally support among voters in Quebec and quell debate over the province's possible separation from Canada.

Harper's Conservative Party-led government must make inroads in Quebec's electorate if it wants to win in the next parliamentary elections widely expected in 2007.

The prime minister's popularity in the mainly French-speaking province has dipped dramatically lately due to his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol to fight global warming, and a foreign policy deemed too friendly to the United States.

The wide margin in favor of the resolution indicated deputies did not see the text as posing a separatist threat.

The resolution was praised by some as a masterful move by Harper to defuse the separatist issue but critics called it a risky play that could allow the Bloc Quebecois to demand more concessions in the future.

A cabinet minister quit the conservative government earlier Monday in protest over the motion.

Michael Chong, the intergovernmental affairs minister, said he had given his resignation to Harper so he could abstain from voting on the motion in the House of Commons.

"I believe that recognizing the Quebecois as a nation, even within a united Canada, is nothing else than the recognition of an ethnic nationalism, and that I cannot support," Chong said at a news conference.

"I also believe that recognizing the Quebecois as a nation will provide the sovereignists with an argument they will use to confuse Quebecers on any future debate on sovereignty," Chong said.

"They will argue if they are a nation within Canada, then they are certainly a nation without Canada. I believe in one nation undivided called Canada, based on civic and not ethnic nationalism," he said.

In a move meant to embarrass the country's federalists, the separatist Bloc Quebecois were about to present their own motion on Quebec's "nation" status that did not mention Canada, before Harper pulled the rug from under them with his proposal which mentions Quebec as belonging to a "united Canada."

Although they objected to that phrase, the Bloc on Friday announced they would support Harper's motion.

"Our motion will be defeated. But what is important is that the Quebec be recognized as a nation," said Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe on explaining his about-face.

"We are delighted that this week Canada will become the first country to officially recognize the Quebec nation," Duceppe said, adding that the acknowledgment would become yet "another weapon" in the regional group's arsenal aiming for Quebec's independence.

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