Harper needs to clarify Quebec nationhood: Dion

[Leafless]

"Stephane Dion says Prime Minister Stephen Harper should clarify what he means when he says Quebec is a nation.

The federal Liberal leader says he wants to know if Harper means the Quebec nation includes all Quebecers or only francophones."

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This is like asking Dion if he thinks he is all Canadian in spite of holding a French citizenship.

Me thinks the Quebec nation only involves the people that want to be identified as such---francophones.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...0624?hub=Canada

[hiti]

Let's not forget that Dion's France citizenship was automatic for all children of France. There are thousands of Canadians who also have duel citizenship.

Dion's mother was a French citizen and all her children received dual citizen.

Does dual citizen distract from being a Canadian?

Here's a list of MPs with dual citizenship:

* Omar Alghabra (Ontario Liberal), with Syria.

* Raymond Chan (British Columbia Liberal), with the United Kingdom.

* Libby Davies (British Columbia NDP), with the United Kingdom.

* Jim Karygiannis (Ontario Liberal), with Greece.

* Wajid Khan (Ontario Conservative), with Pakistan.

* Maka Kotto (Quebec Bloc Québécois), with France.

* Pablo Rodriguez (Quebec Liberal), with Argentina.

* Michael Savage (Nova Scotia Liberal), with the United Kingdom.

* Mario Silva (Ontario Liberal), with Portugal.

* Lui Temelkovski (Ontario Liberal), with Macedonia.

* Myron Thompson (Alberta Conservative), with the United States.

[Leafless]

Let's not forget that Dion's France citizenship was automatic for all children of France. There are thousands of Canadians who also have duel citizenship.

Dion's mother was a French citizen and all her children received dual citizen.

Does dual citizen distract from being a Canadian?

Here's a list of MPs with dual citizenship:

* Omar Alghabra (Ontario Liberal), with Syria.

* Raymond Chan (British Columbia Liberal), with the United Kingdom.

* Libby Davies (British Columbia NDP), with the United Kingdom.

* Jim Karygiannis (Ontario Liberal), with Greece.

* Wajid Khan (Ontario Conservative), with Pakistan.

* Maka Kotto (Quebec Bloc Québécois), with France.

* Pablo Rodriguez (Quebec Liberal), with Argentina.

* Michael Savage (Nova Scotia Liberal), with the United Kingdom.

* Mario Silva (Ontario Liberal), with Portugal.

* Lui Temelkovski (Ontario Liberal), with Macedonia.

* Myron Thompson (Alberta Conservative), with the United States.

Looks like a citizens of the world committee.

Doesn't say much for Canadian politics, does it?

Regardless, with Dion pulling the Quebec nation bit out of the waste paper basket, only identifies this man as a troubled person, not contributing much to national unity.

An immature little boy.

[Michael Bluth]

Regardless, with Dion pulling the Quebec nation bit out of the waste paper basket, only identifies this man as a troubled person, not contributing much to national unity.

An immature little boy.

The Liberals are searching for an agenda. They'll be test-driving stuff all some.

Chalk this up as an early failure.

[capricorn]

Yeah. As if Quebecers wanted to hear a Dion challenge directed at Harper on the definition of the Québec Nation, while they are celebrating their "national" holiday. Who the heck is advising him?

[jbg]

Yeah. As if Quebecers wanted to hear a Dion challenge directed at Harper on the definition of the Québec Nation, while they are celebrating their "national" holiday. Who the heck is advising him?

Harper knows better than to follow Dion's "advice"; akin to advising lemmings on the route to the nearest cliff.

[August1991]

"Stephane Dion says Prime Minister Stephen Harper should clarify what he means when he says Quebec is a nation.

The federal Liberal leader says he wants to know if Harper means the Quebec nation includes all Quebecers or only francophones."

Dion's question arose in the context of Harper's speech in Roberval for the 24 June celebration, and to help the Conservative candidate in the upcoming by-election.

Here's what Harper said:

"For the first time since Confederation, Quebecers can celebrate together the recognition that they form a nation within a united Canada," Harper said.

...

Harper did not take questions from the media on Dion's charge, but in Montreal Public Works Minister Michael Fortier said the matter had been settled months ago.

Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, who accompanied Harper to Roberval, said the matter is clear to him.

"Each Quebecer knows what we are," he said. "We are a nation. We are one of the two nations which founded this country."

In Roberval, Harper said all Canadians can take pride in the accomplishments of Quebecers.

"The first people in this country to call themselves Canadians were the French-speaking settlers who built their first community on the banks of the St. Lawrence then followed our rivers to places like Lac St-Jean and then across our land envisioning a country from sea to sea," he said.

"This is our history as Canadians, it is who we are and we can all be proud of it."

CTV

[WestViking]

Only Dion would admit that he voted in favour of a motion recognizing the Quebecois as a nation within the nation of Canada while he had no idea what he was voting for.

"Did you see a large group of people go by? What direction were they going in? I have to find them for I am their leader."

[Keepitsimple]

With regards to the declaration "The Quebecois form a nation within a united Canada":

The Quebecois know who they are.

[geoffrey]

The Quebecois know who they are.

Exactly. Nothing further needed.

[Army Guy]

Before Quebecers break out the fire works and start carving up the country Perhaps the next question should be, will the rest of Canadians allow Quebec to have thier nation within a nation, and what sacrafices would they be willing to make to allow that to happen...

[Michael Bluth]

Before Quebecers break out the fire works and start carving up the country Perhaps the next question should be, will the rest of Canadians allow Quebec to have thier nation within a nation, and what sacrafices would they be willing to make to allow that to happen...

They have it now.

Sacrifices? The equalization payments characterize a pretty big sacrifice.

[jbg]

Before Quebecers break out the fire works and start carving up the country Perhaps the next question should be, will the rest of Canadians allow Quebec to have thier nation within a nation, and what sacrafices would they be willing to make to allow that to happen...

If that's what Quebeckers want, fine, but they should have the lower living standards that go with a laid-back life style and lack of linguistic and regional welfare equalization payments.

[Topaz]

Isn't Quebec already being allowed to be its own nation by allowing the Bloc to represent its province in Ottawa? Why should Quebec have more representation than the other provinces? They have the Cons, the Libs, and the NDP and maybe the Green Party.

[Mad_Michael]

"Stephane Dion says Prime Minister Stephen Harper should clarify what he means when he says Quebec is a nation.

Methinks Dion wants to stir up a Quebec nationalist hornet's nest for his own partisan purpose.

Dion lurches from being seen as 'weak and unattractive' as a leader to downright stupid with this move.

When's the next Liberal Leadership convention? Can't happen soon enough!

[jbg]

Dion lurches from being seen as 'weak and unattractive' as a leader to downright stupid with this move. When's the next Liberal Leadership convention? Can't happen soon enough!

I thought the tradition was to allow each new leader to lead the party through at least one election. I think Dion deserves at least three runs at being PM.

Didn't such illustrious leaders as Clark (3 runs) and Turner (2 runs) get multiple chances to implode their parties? Both almost succeeded.