New Referendum. (Canada)

[Byzantine Prince]

CNN Link.

Damn Gile Duceppe can't go one day without having sudden cravings of separation. I'de like to see Quebc try to get a separate state, *every* north american company will move its headquarters away. They'll be stuck alone and desolate. Poor Beirut.

[GoreBag]

Come ooooon. I thought they'd have buried the hatchet after the 'ethnic vote' comment. Ugh, this means I'll have to get a passport to get real poutine and cheap beer.

[Beirut]

Same **** - different day.

These idiots haven't shut up about this for 25 years.

Personally, I say let 'em have it. Let them have their referendum, let them win, and let them leave. But if they think they're taking the whole territory of Quebec with them they're dreaming.

Quebec is bigger than France and Germany together. Do the separatists really think they can control that land mass and the millions of people who don't want to go along with their separatist dreams with 4000 provincial police? The US couldn't control Vietnam with 500,000 troops and Quebec is five times the size of Vietnam. There are anywhere from two to five million guns in Quebec. Do the math - they lose.

The only reason people here concede to being controlled is because they allow themselves to be controlled. Once that concession is removed, there is no control. The separatists will learn that very, very quickly. The separatists live in an illusion of three million federalists peacefully going along with their plans. Yeah... right.

They can have a slice of Quebec from Quebec City east to the Gaspe. And after a few years they'll be begging for us to let them back in. We might even let them.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

The US couldn't control Vietnam with 500,000 troops and Quebec is five times the size of Vietnam. There are anywhere from two to five million guns in Quebec. Do the math - they lose.

However, there is a genuine lack of Vietnamese within that province.

[AntiochusIII]

Hm. Why in the world would they try to be seperate in the first place? Canada is all great, nice, and such a beautiful country. I mean, I understand all the differing backgrounds (being once French Canada), but Louisiana doesn't seems to have any of this problem in the United States.

So would anyone clarify on this issue?

[lars573]

It's a cultural thing. Up until the rise of multiculturalism in Canada in the 60's the French were more down trodden. There were litterally millions of people who's first language and culture was French that were having English language and ways forced on them. I've heard many old Quebecers say that compared to when they were children (30's-50's) with Quebec now it's night and day. English Canada has spent nearly 40 years bending over backwards to make up for victorian era racist policies. But some sectors of French Quebec aren't (and probably won't ever be) satisfied, they want to be free of English Canada. Their oppressors in times past.

[GoreBag]

I don't mind the nationalist sentiment, and I think it's good that French Canadians mantain a separate cultural identity. I even like Quebec more than my own province; most of the Quebecois are liberal with beer, smokes and women. It just seems to me that the ones who really want to separate are the uptight, stiffassed ones, and that makes them more like Ontarians...

[UglyandHasty]

Very intelligent comment lars573.

When i saw the topic, i say "ok another round of Quebec bashing". Counting the number of gun and comparing Quebec to Vietnam is so viril. There's extremist nuts on both side. Not only on the Separatist side.

If it wasnt of the corruption in Ottawa, the separatism would not be of actuality. Thanks to the great Liberal Party, the Saviors of the Canada, Separatism is gaining ground again ! But dont be scared Beirut, even if there's a referendum, it wont pass. So put a hold on your plan of destruction and have a beer on me !

[Duke Malcolm]

AGH! The Frenchies are trying to split our dominion! Nooo...
Her Majesty's Government must intervene!

[Devastatin Dave]

Not a slam or anything, but how could you stop them from seperating? Would the rest of Canada intervene militarily?

[Duke Malcolm]

What? No, the rest of the Commonwealth on the order of Her Majesty the Queen. She (and we) is, after all, still in charge of Canada as it is a British Dominion...

[GoreBag]

Not a slam or anything, but how could you stop them from seperating? Would the rest of Canada intervene militarily?

I think Beirut was on the right track. Surely, the entirety of Canada's largest province would not voluntarily secede from the rest of the country, and once that becomes clear, the creation of a seperate, Quebecois franctionary state would probably not have enough appeal to maintain its impetus all the way to its creation. King Malcolm was just (trying? ) making a joke about English Colonialism.

I was thinking about this some more last night, and the immediate effects of such a movement would be terrible. As some of you may know, I live in Ottawa, and about a third of Ottawa's mega-city is the mega-city of Gatineau, casually referred to as Hull. Gatineau is across the St. Laurence river, which puts it in Quebec. As it stands, crossing from one side of the river to the other is no big deal; people do it all the time. Myself, I'll go once a week minimum just for quality poutine and cheap beer (I might have a problem...). More seriously, though, a large part of Hull's nightlife is dependant on Ottawans coming across the river to party in the bars and clubs (last call is later in Quebec). As well, a large part of Hull's population have jobs in Ottawa, and I do mean 'large'. If Quebec really did secede, crossing the bridge to get to work would no longer be possible without long, tedious forms, guards to keep illegal migrants out, and so on. Ottawa would lose a demographic in its work force and Hull would have massive unemployment.

Woo, separatism.

[lars573]

Very intelligent comment lars573.

When i saw the topic, i say "ok another round of Quebec bashing". Counting the number of gun and comparing Quebec to Vietnam is so viril. There's extremist nuts on both side. Not only on the Separatist side.

You better believe it. One of them is in my own family, a great uncle on my fathers side. He belongs to an organization who reason d'etre is French hating. I can't remember the name but they want English to be the only offical language and Quebec nationalism to be stamped out.

If it wasnt of the corruption in Ottawa, the separatism would not be of actuality. Thanks to the great Liberal Party, the Saviors of the Canada, Separatism is gaining ground again ! But dont be scared Beirut, even if there's a referendum, it wont pass. So put a hold on your plan of destruction and have a beer on me !

From what I have seen many under 30 French Quebecouis don't want to seperate. Neither do the naturalized immigrent population in southern Quebec (mostly in Montreal). The naturalized immigrents especially I've heard comments from an Asian Indian that his parents fear the potential for racist oppression of non-French by seperatist leaders if Quebec ever seperated.

Not a slam or anything, but how could you stop them from seperating? Would the rest of Canada intervene militarily?

Well territorially Quebec is the largest province and it bisects the nation north/south. But as much of a third of it's population is from landed and naturalized immigrants as I said and they are mostly around Montreal again as I said. During the last referendum it broke down that southern urban Quebec wanted to be in Canada and northern rural Quebec wanted to seperate. But if Quebec did try and seperate it would in all likely hood touch off a civil war. Our only history of a terrorist group was in regards to Quebec independance. It was called the FLQ, the Quebec liberation federation (it sounds better in French). But that was in the 60's.

What? No, the rest of the Commonwealth on the order of Her Majesty the Queen. She (and we) is, after all, still in charge of Canada as it is a British Dominion...

Whoa whoa Mal no need to drag the Victory and the Warrior out of moth balls for a good old imperial war yet. This is Quebec seperatism, every time there is a big big government cluster f*ck like the sponsorship scandal Quebec seperatists beat the dead horse of independance.

[Meneldil]

Many french canadian also told me that a independant state was a silly idea. On the other hand, I highly respect the awesome Quebecian (?) culture, and I don't want it to be overthrown by the anglo-saxon culture. Not that I have anything against the anglo saxons, but the french canadians I know are probably the funniest and nicest people I ever met (+ they have nice chicks).

[lars573]

Quebecqouis if my spelling is right. And it's in as much danger of dying out as French (from France) culture is in danger of dying out.

[Papewaio]

Meh! Everytime the Australian Federal Government does something dodgy the Western Australian state has newspaper articles stating how much better off they would be if they separated...

It is good for a tease of the other states if nothing else.

[Duke Malcolm]

King Malcolm was just (trying? ) making a joke about English Colonialism.

Was I?

P.S. BRITISH COLONIALISM!!!!!!!!!

[GoreBag]

P.S. BRITISH COLONIALISM!!!!!!!!!

I knew you'd say that, and I'll fight you tooth and nail over it.

[Duke Malcolm]

All of French North America was not under British rule until 1763, 56 years after the United Kingdom of Great Britain was formed.

[Louis VI the Fat]

What is so wrong about the prospect of an independent Quebec? It is one of the oldest, most distinct white settlements of North America. An independent Québec is entirely viable. What it will be, is what Finland or Denmark are to Europe: some small, prosperous nation of enviable internal peace up north were you get your cold fronts from.

Thing is, that's what Canada is already. So in my opinion, just leave it at that. Through a delightful irony of history, the merging of French and British culture has produced the nation with the highest quality of living on the planet. Never change a winning team.

But if the Québécois decide they want to break up, let them. They should be entitled to decide their own future. Too bad for the English Canadians in Québec. The Anglosaxons there will just have to deal with it. If you live in Vancouver, fine, no need for you to speak French. If you're Mexican and you want to live in Texas, fine, learn English. If you're English and you want to live in Québec, fine, speak French. If you can't live with that, there's an area twice the size of Europe right around you where everybody does speak English.