Harper's Caanda is Belgium

[Black Dog]

Crack open a Stella Artois and have a look.

"In Belgium, for example, federal authority is shared not only by geographical regions, but also according to linguistic communities," Harper said.

"Instead of giving more authority to provinces in areas like culture or international relations, the federal government could, in concert with the provinces and especially Quebec, establish francophone and anglophone community institutions in areas of jurisdiction like telecommunications and broadcasting."

So Harper is now cozying up to the ADQ as well as the Bloc. What's his game?

[Newfie Canadian]

Trying to win the next election.

Could Harper be cozying up the West as well?

for example, federal authority is shared not only by geographical regions

[August1991]

In fact, we have this separation (or distinctness, if you prefer) now with the CBC and Radio-Canada, as this "Great Canadian" competition and Bakunin have shown.

If the CRTC must exist, why not organize it along language lines - at least where regulations concern broadcasting. The CRTC decisions seem to be written that way.

As to Belgium, God help us all if we organized our political system like the Belgians. It takes several weeks before anyone knows who won an election.

[Newfie Canadian]

Here comes the heat.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...2031?hub=Canada

"I think the role of the prime minister of Canada is not to build a better Belgium, it's to build a stronger Canada," he [Martin] said.

[Big Blue Machine]

And lets all eat waffles.

[maplesyrup]

Harper's career as leader of the Cons is all but over. Siding up to the Bloc in his desperate but failed attempt to grab power has opened him ujp to ridicule, the deathnail for any politician. He is on a death watch now!

[Stoker]

Harper's career as leader of the Cons is all but over. Siding up to the Bloc in his desperate but failed attempt to grab power has opened him ujp to ridicule, the deathnail for any politician. He is on a death watch now!

Ridicule from who though? Liberal and NDP supporters?

How many seats does the Bloc and Cons have again?

WRT the idea itself, as a so called "western separatist", I feel that this could be a fair middle ground....now the big question.......do Bloc supporters?

[Big Blue Machine]

The Liberals/NDP AND the Cons/Bloc have exactly the same number of seats. Without Cadman.

[brianw]

It takes several weeks before anyone knows who won an election.

Now that would be bliss. To forgoe the agony of the results of an election even for a few days would be great. Of course in Canada an election simply changes who sits at the head of the table for a short while rather than who actually sits at the table. We vote for people who become puppets with strings tied to their hands and one of thoses strings in the back you pull when you wish them to speak. The ones with all the power are elected by a small number of people.

[Big Blue Machine]

I say wait for a 1 and a bit years then take down the house on a decisive issue you can win on.

[Stoker]

The Liberals/NDP AND the Cons/Bloc have exactly the same number of seats. Without Cadman.

It was a rhetorical question

With my point being, as it stands now (and if the Bloc favor this idea), Harper is no worse off without Liberal or NDP support...........

Just think, if the majority of the Quebec seperatists were in favor of this idea as a final settlement over the sovereignty question, Harper could campaign on being the leader that will "save Canada". IOW, with a few pieces of legislation, Harper could put an end to the Quebec sovereignty debate and Western alienation. *That is if the Bloc are in favour of his idea*

Wouldn't Ontario and the Maritimes be in favour of that ?

[Newfie Canadian]

Interesting how you use the Maritimes, which is a region itself. Where would that leave my beloved Newfoundland and Labrador? Out all alone by ourselves?

I could see the Atlantic provinces doing OK under such a system, but I don't think it would solve many of the problems that are being put forth these days.

No matter what system replaces what we have now, if it's replaced at all, anglophones in Quebec will still argue with the francophones, the Prairies and BC will still complain about Alberta, the Atlantic region will still bicker amongst themselves, the North will still be relatively desolate, and Ontario will still be arrogant.

[Guest eureka]

This is not something that should be taken lightly. Harper has been in favour of the destruction of Canada since he became a con-Con for his own selfish reasons.

I have emailed him to let him know what kind of a jerk he is and I am considering what further steps I can take to espose him for what he is.

This attempt to use ethnicity to further the fragmentation of Canada is not a joke. It seems that, particularly in the West, there are people who will jump at the proposal to sweeten their own sh**ty dreams.

[Slavik44]

Hold on a second, many times people were worried that Harper was going to alienate Quebec, not just voters in Quebec. If he can proove that he will not alienate the province of Quebec not only will he gian support in quebec but he will gain support from other areas. durign the election I saw numerous news reports that backed the concept saying the CPC didn't appeal to Quebec so numerous voters who wanted a united Canada and feared an up swing in Quebec sepratism wouldn't vote for Harper. Perhaps it is a godo Idea after all British columbians know what they Want, why should the province of Ontario tell me what I want, likewise Why should I tell ontario what they want, woudln;t it make every one mutch happier if there was a little self-determination? Not seperation but less federal responsibilities and power and more Provincial responsibilities and power.

Maplesyrup you often talk about how politicians, are cut off from the people, but wouldn't having Actual Representation over Partial representation increase your voice and say in Government, I think if this is approached

the right way I think if it was planed the right way and i think if it was carried out the right way, we would have a better Canada. The reason liberals don't support this is because Provincial Government is NDP and CPC I think Martin muttered something in Ontario about how all Liberals are Liberals Provincial or Federal, maybe he is just looking out for liberal interests and not Canadian interests.

[August1991]

The comments on this thread are the indication that something is very wrong in Canada and many Canadians are like ostriches, preferring to put their in the sand.

This is what Harper said, according to the CP report:

"In Belgium, for example, federal authority is shared not only by geographical regions, but also according to linguistic communities," Harper said.

"Instead of giving more authority to provinces in areas like culture or international relations, the federal government could, in concert with the provinces and especially Quebec, establish francophone and anglophone community institutions in areas of jurisdiction like telecommunications and broadcasting."

That is all he said, "in areas of jurisdiction like telecommunications and broadcasting".

In a sense, Jack Layton, during the election campaign, went further and said he would repeal the Clarity Act.

Both of these English Canadians deserve respect for considering various possible solutions to "Our Constitutional Problem".

In the last federal election, the BQ won 54 seats in Quebec and 49% of the popular vote. That is a simple fact that cannot be ignored.

[kimmy]

The comments on this thread are the indication that something is very wrong in Canada and many Canadians are like ostriches, preferring to put their in the sand.

Indeed. Why is Harper's idea so threatening? If you guys are worried about the ideas in Harper's speech, shouldn't you be frickin' terrified of what Martin and Co have done over the past couple of months vis-a-vis special status for Quebec?

-kimmy

[Guest eureka]

I don't think you should link Martin and Harper. Both have damaged the integrity of this country and both would do more harm. Harper's actions would be intentional - Martin's the comsequence of thinking that only finances matter in national life.

What Martin has done and is soing needs to be held in check before the federal government loses control of the country to provincial premiers by default. Harper would surrender our sovereignty to the US while also fragmenting us internally.

Harper's musings are no light matter. It is mischief making of the highest order. Added to his desires to reduce the country to a group of fiefdoms under the overall economic control of our neighbours, he now wishes to further fragment it into ethnic enclaves.

Belgium is not an example to be followed by anyone. It is an artificial construct that is kept together only by the pressures of neighbouring nations. Each part of Belgium likes its autonomy and does not wish to be absorbed into the larger national entities to which they are akin.

Belgium is a nation always on the brink of collapse and its competing ethnicities are not a source of stability. It is like three Quebec's, detesting each other but staying in the same house for fear of getting lost in the many roomed mansion next door.

[kimmy]

"Rather than devolving more authority to provinces in areas like cultural affairs and international relations, perhaps the federal government, working with the provinces and particularly with Quebec, could establish Francophone and Anglophone Community institutions for jurisdictions in areas like the CRTC and the CBC, or the Francophonie, the Commonwealth and UNESCO."

If Harper musing about giving linguistic communities control over the CBC and CRTC is actually an attempt to curry favor in Quebec at the expense of federalism, then what is Martin's "asymmetric" health deal with Quebec? Sounds like currying to me... and Roy Romanow seems to think it's a thread to national unity:

"The notion of assymetrical federalism - meaning different arrangements for different provinces - breaks up the country, obviously," Romanow told the newspaper.

"I say it should be (used) rarely ... I think to allow every province (a separate deal) just for the sake of wanting to do it because of ideology, based on politics, is not my notion of building a unified Canada."

( CTV article )

And if the other part of Harper's comments, about giving Canada's Francophone community more say on the international stage, are so worrying to people... then shouldn't we be talking a lot more about the Liberals (you know, the party in power right now?) doing exactly the same thing, with Liz Frulla promoting the idea that her Quebec counterpart can represent Canada at international meetings. Of course, the idea was denied (kind of) by her cabinet colleague:

Quebec wants Ottawa to allow it to have a direct say at international forums such as UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Benoit Pelletier, Quebec's intergovernmental affairs minister, has said he's trying to negotiate a special bilateral deal with the federal government.

But Robillard took issue with the word "negotiate.''

"We are not negotiating right now,'' she said. "We are speaking about that. That's different than to say we are negotiating an agreement.''

(emphasis mine)

( CTV article )

They are not negotiating, they're just talking about it. If the idea is unacceptable to the government, then we certainly won't be seeing stuff like, say, Jean Charest bumping around with Vincente Fox at trade conferences.

While in Mexico next month, Mr. Charest and French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin are scheduled to meet Mexican President Vicente Fox, setting a precedent for Quebec, which has long sought to represent itself on the world stage on a par with other nations.

Senator Terry Mercer, a confidant of Jean Chretien and former national director of the federal Liberal party, said yesterday Mr. Martin is taking the country down a "slippery slope" in giving unprecedented clearance for Premier Jean Charest to accompany his French counterpart on a trade mission to Mexico.

Again, I simply ask: if you guys are so worried about a couple of sentences made during a speech about a policy position that is still in the formative stage... shouldn't we be talking a lot more about the special considerations given to Quebec by the governing party over the past 2 months?

You guys are raking Harper over the coals for *proposing* a policy idea that could give special considerations to Quebec... yet people have given the Liberals essentially a free pass over *implementing* policy that gives special considerations to Quebec.

I have to ask how much of this scrutiny is because of the message, and how much is because of the messenger.

-kimmy

[Bakunin]

What you see as special consideration, we the quebecers see it as federal respecting provincial juridiction. I know that the rest of canada doesnt care if the federal doesn't respect is juridiction.

This is one of our difference, and it sad if its making some people angry. We shouldn't be angry because we are different, we should just respect each others.

[kimmy]

Again, I simply ask: if you guys are so worried about a couple of sentences made during a speech about a policy position that is still in the formative stage... shouldn't we be talking a lot more about the special considerations given to Quebec by the governing party over the past 2 months?

I thought it was a fair question... does the lack of response indicate a lack of answers, or just a lack of interest?

-kimmy

[Big Blue Machine]

What Harper meant was we should have waffles instead of beer for breakfast.

[Big Blue Machine]

Like my joke?