Michel Tremblay Disavows Independence

[August1991]

Tremblay is arguably Quebec's best playwright and has written many plays, books and essays. This interview will reverberate.

Renowned Quebec author Michel Tremblay, once an avowed sovereigntist who refused the Order of Canada, says he no longer believes in Quebec sovereignty.

The award-winning writer and playwright told The Canadian Press that he no longer identifies with the movement for an independent Quebec because it has become principally about economics.

Link

Then again, maybe he's just going senile:

"It was a beautiful dream and we shouldn't laugh at our dreams, but so long as the economy comes first, we will never have sovereignty," he said.

Tremblay said Quebec society is losing its spirit.

"Like Toronto, we're discovering money, money at all cost. We have to stop thinking about money and start thinking about our well-being...," he said.

"Of course, it's easy for me to say that since I'm a multimillionaire," he added with a laugh.

[Nocrap]

Tremblay is arguably Quebec's best playwright and has written many plays, books and essays. This interview will reverberate.

Renowned Quebec author Michel Tremblay, once an avowed sovereigntist who refused the Order of Canada, says he no longer believes in Quebec sovereignty.

The award-winning writer and playwright told The Canadian Press that he no longer identifies with the movement for an independent Quebec because it has become principally about economics.

Link

Then again, maybe he's just going senile:

"It was a beautiful dream and we shouldn't laugh at our dreams, but so long as the economy comes first, we will never have sovereignty," he said.

Tremblay said Quebec society is losing its spirit.

"Like Toronto, we're discovering money, money at all cost. We have to stop thinking about money and start thinking about our well-being...," he said.

"Of course, it's easy for me to say that since I'm a multimillionaire," he added with a laugh.

I believe he may resonate the feelings of many Quebecers. The idea of an independant nation was a wonderful dream, but realistically unattainable. Besides, how can you be a country without considering economics or at least whether or not it is economically feasible? And perhaps more importantly, how will separation affect individual wealth?

I guess what he's really saying is that as a hardliner, he has taken a reality check.

[Hicksey]

Let's just call him the Court Jester and be done with it. Whenever things get out of hand on the floor we'll get him to stand and speak so everyone can have calm down and have a good laugh.

He's got about as much credibility as CBS(SeeBS).

[August1991]

Now Robert Lepage, another theatrical director/producer, has a similar comment:

For the second time in as many days, a well-known Quebec writer has come forward to question the future of Quebec sovereignty.

Playwright Robert Lepage added his voice Monday to renowned writer Michel Tremblay, saying he is "less convinced" that Quebec should separate from the rest of Canada. "We have to question the Parti Quebecois on what it has become and on the sovereigntist movement," Lepage told reporters.

"It's a very good thing to call (sovereignty) into question."

Link

These comments are partly and indirectly due to the success of the Conservatives in Quebec in the past election.

[seabee]

Both Tremblay and Lepage call for an updated thinking of the independance movement; it might be more helpfull than hurtfull for it.

Neither reneges their indendantist thinking; they just think the population does.

[August1991]

Both Tremblay and Lepage call for an updated thinking of the independance movement; it might be more helpfull than hurtfull for it.

Neither reneges their indendantist thinking; they just think the population does.

Well, yeah, sortof.

Tremblay was weirdly saying that the sovereigntist movement lacked direction because it was too pre-occupied with economic questions. (That's a veiled reference to Parizeau, Landry and Boisclair. It's also an anachronism. The argument was standard in the 1970s.)

Lepage was more direct; he claimed to be lukewarm on sovereignty now.

The fact of the matter is that 10 seats went Conservative in the last election, and the Conservatives came second in about 20 or so ridings. All these ridings are outside of Montreal.

The Montreal "elite" is wondering whether Boisclair was the right choice, and whether ordinary Quebecers are somehow separated from the "elite" and why.

At this point, I'm not prepared to say the next Quebec election is a foregone conclusion, nor that the BQ will do as well in the next federal election.

Heck, if the Liberals choose Dion, I wouldn't even be surprised to see some French ridings go Liberal. At this point, who knows?

[seabee]

Just an update:

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20060412...140/1017/CPARTS

He certainly does not "disavow independance", as federalist spin-doctors would have it.

[Spike22]

Who cares what this dork says...another artsy fartsy liberal type.

[seabee]

On the other hand,

Lapointe

Senator Jean Lapointe has had a very long career in Québec as an entertainer, stand-up comic, singer, actor (won a few awards), and is respected by all in Québec, no matter what political alliegance.

This new article may very well add more fuel to a debate sparked by a rather ill-worded statement by Tremblay, grossly distorted by some media, and which has brought the topic of Québec independance back from the backburner to the forefront.