The Written Word : Sept 19th

Tuesday, September 19, 2006 03:44 AM

Well, batten down the hatches – here comes that “c” word again. Thanks to earlier pronouncements by Prime Minister Harper and now unbelievable words from the Literal leader-to-be, Michael Ignatieff, we are already into a crisis which is going to occupy us for the next five years and perhaps longer.

We start with the PM cozying up to the Parti Quebecois in order to do what Brian Mulroney did – get so-called “soft” separatists to support the Tories. Then Mr Ignatieff spoke not in terms of “distinct society” but a Quebec “nation” within Canada.

Quite frankly, of all the pronouncements made by political people, I can remember, nothing even close to the irresponsibility of what Ignatieff said.

My position is not anti-Quebec but pro Canada. For what Mr. Ignatieff said goes much further, in my view than the position taken by the later Rene Levesque namely the indefinable “sovereignty association” which then BC Premier Bill Bennett called “divorce with bedroom privileges”.

There was, during the Meech Lake and Charlottetown debates, concern about what “distinct society” meant – Brian Mulroney telling English speaking Canadians that they meant nothing while trying to convince French Canada that they conferred special though undefined privileges.

With the term “nation” the only doubts are twofold. First, what will this mean in real terms; with political matters like representation in the House of Commons, revenue, taxation and so on. The second question will be, how long before, like Czechoslovakia, the rift will be complete.

I have no problem with Quebec being a nation as long as it’s on its own. What I’m not prepared to have is a Quebec that is in for the good parts, out for the bad bits.

I suspect that a lot of people in Canada, more and more as one goes west, agree with that last position.

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Posted on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 03:44 AM in Views by Rafe Mair

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Comments

Posted by: ammonra on September 19 2006 9:07 AM

Although the word "Nation" can mean whatever people want it to mean in Canada, and does not in itself denote a sovereign state. Most First "Nations" refer to themselves as the "This Nation" or the "That Nation", with no intention of separating.

I would note that the Prime Minister has now acknowledged that he is in a coalition with the Separatists in the Bloc.

Posted by: Palopu on September 19 2006 4:18 PM

The Bloc Separatists are no more than disgruntled NDPer's and Liberals, with a few Conservatives thrown in for good measure. If Quebec should leave Canada these guys would all be unemployed.

Whether Quebec stays in or out of Canada will be decided by a Referendum by the Provincial Government and the Quebecqois and will have nothing to do with the Bloc. These guys are riding the Gravy Train, and if they should be of some use to the Conservatives, or the Liberals, so be it. What is the alternative. They are duly elected, and therefore entitled to vote however they chose.

I think Quebec separtism
is dead in the water, however most people just havent come to realize it yet.

If they do go, we can give them a big going away party.