Will Quebec ever be independant?

[August1991]

Claude Morin wrote the quote below recently in La Presse. I just saw it. This was the end of an article in response to Parizeau's approval of an election/referendum. I feel that Morin is stating the truth, as perceived by many Quebecers.

More broadly, millions of Quebecers dream of an independant Quebec. Will they ever realize their dream?

Il n'est plus possible, comme dans les années 1970, de mobiliser une majorité de Québécois en faveur de la souveraineté en leur exposant leur déplorable situation car ils ont acquis le sentiment que leur sort, si insatisfaisant reste-t-il à maints égards, s'est sensiblement amélioré et, en tout cas, qu'il n'est pas si intolérable qu'il exige la souveraineté comme remède indispensable. Et, en notre époque de mondialisation et d'interdépendance, l'acquisition du supplément de marge de manoeuvre réelle que la souveraineté vaudrait au Québec paraît, aux yeux de plusieurs, exiger un effort disproportionné.

Je ne partage pas ces perceptions, mais j'en crains l'influence, et j'espère que la " Saison des idées " présentement en cours au sein du PQ aura permis de développer l'argumentaire requis pour les corriger.

[Big Blue Machine]

The rest of Canada dooesn't want Quebec to go. They won't take it very kindly. There will be violence. They will say "So you Quebeckers are too good for the rest of Canada, eh?"

[seabee]

The rest of Canada dooesn't want Quebec to go

Why?

The bickering between Québec and the ROC has been constant since at least the 1940's, whatever party was in power.

Fundamental differences, as basic as whether Québec is a nation (as unanimously acknowledged recently by the National Assembly under Jean Charest) or not.

Language rights are a perpetual source of antagonism.

Many people in the ROC want to abolish bilingualism on the ground it is too costly. And also that money is continually being poured in Québec, with little, if any, return.

[caesar]

Why don't we want Quebec to go? Because they would be a foreign nation in between the West and east coast.

We have spent enough money and time trying to satisfy them. Time for a little tough love. Canada does not have the strong central government and Quebec does get to run a majority of its own affairs; so why always such a problem. Do they really think that they would be better off without Canada. For trade matters, Canada is really too small to have much clout; what would a tiny Quebec have. They are one of the have not provinces; so obviously no great wealth there to keep the economy running smoothly. They would lose many English first companies and government regulated businesses that encourage head offices in Quebec like Air Canada.

I am sure a majority of English first citizens would seek to leave a French dominated Quebec.

[Slavik44]

I doubt they will leave, I mean there is always that possibility but even the BQ wasn't hammering home a seperate quebec, sure it was mentioned but the best way to gage quebec sepratism is to watch how important it is to the BQ come the federal election, it looked like speratism was traded and in return we got fighting for quebec's desires in Canada and not out of Canada.

[ceemes]

Quebec seperation is really a non-issue. It makes for interesting press and next to hockey, it is Ottawa's and Quebec's favourite game.

While the young and uneducated in Quebec may be pro-seperation, wiser head should prevail. Most pro-seperationist really haven't considered the actual cost to the Province and its people, nor have they thought it through clearly. They basically see an Indepenant Quebec through emotional eyes then cold hard logic.

There are a number of issues they should look at, economic and territorial.

The economic issues are vast. First there is Quebecs portion of Canada's national debt. Quebecers whether they like it or not, own a share of the national debt and have benefitted from it. If the province does go its own way, then they will have to take with it their fair share of that debt.

Also, many Canadian companies have their head offices based in Quebec and a fair number of them threatened to pull out lock, stock and barrel during the last referrendum had it gone Yea. This would of lead to a massive loss of employment, tax revenues and business a new nation would need.

In the Hull region, the economic impact would be immence, given that many of its people earn their living working for the Federal Government in Ottawa. I doubt that the Canadian Government would be all that thrilled to have new foreigners working in the halls of Parliment.

Quebec has also enjoyed great largress from Federal spending, especially in Defence and Space Agencies. Are large amount of Canadian defence spending is funneled into Quebec, including the maintenance of the CF-18's, construction of the Halifax Class Frigettes, and if I am not mistaken, Quebec has the largest supply depot of goods and munitions for the CAF. Going independent would mean losing those contracts and jobs.

Territorially, there are a number of issues, namely the Eastern Townships and the First Nations lands. During the last referrendum, the First Nations people of Quebec stated that they would seperate from Quebec in favour of Canada. And Canada would be honour and treaty bound to protect the interests and lands of the Quebec First Nations people. Also, I believe that the Eastern Townships and surrounding lands were granted to Quebec when it joined Confederation, if Quebec goes its own way, those lands should be returned to Canada. In short, an indepenant Quebec would only be entitled to the land it originally held prior to joining Confederation.

In short, Seperation would be a costly mistake for Quebec and in the end it would most likely fail as a nation.

Also, IMHO, Parizeau is as much yesterdays man in Quebec as either Mulrooney or Joe Clarke is in the rest of Canada.

[Guest eureka]

Most of what you wrote is accurate but the National Debt would be an interesting question. Legally, the debt is the debt of the National government of Canada. If Quebec were to separate, it would not, legally be responsible for any portion of the debt.

However, Quebec would be negotiating from weakness and would not dare to refuse to assume its portion since the consequences that Canada would create would be far heavier than the debt.

[takeanumber]

The negotiations would be long, and might feature land being traded for debt.

There's the aboriginal question. The treaties are with the Crown. Aboriginals would more than likely stay in Canada.

The island of Montreal is another important question, along with areas that voted to stay in Canada.