Quebecois are officially nation now. At the same time the fact is that Montreal is turning into English speaking city very fast. Quebec is taking more money from federal government that it gives. What do you think, can Quebec survive without Canada and be successful nation based on national ethnic or Quebecois are going to be regular minority nation among Chinese, Polish etc very soon?
Ever really considered all the ramifications? Want to drive to Ottawa? Get your passport ready. Reach the border. Do you believe that Canada will be delighted with your presence? Did you change your NEW Quebec Dollars into Canadian dollars? What was the rate of exchange? Made all your purchases? How much duty will you be paying at the border on your way home? Will your Quebec dollars be worth more or less that Canadian dollars when you visit the US? Will they be happy to see you? Most US border agents don't speak French and like even less those who do. Will foreign countries welcome Quebec made goods? Will they slap a tariff on them? Just a few questions that need answers.
First, I'm not a separatist. i'm not even a nationalist, but I'm a realist. You do know that we can still use the Canadian dollars even after a separation? Also money reflects one country worth in exchange power. Quebec as plenty of natural ressources, including oil. As a convention we could peg our dollars to yours, or the US one, just like the chinese and many other do. As for passport, you do know that until very recently you didn't need any to go to the USA which always was a foreign country. Why do you think we or you would need a passport to visit? because a few angryphone want it to be so? And if you ever want to charge us for travelling over or in the RoC, think about how much it going to cost you to ship your grain and other good via the St-Lawrence... here is the reality of it.In case of separation, neither Canada or Quebec would fare well. In all probability, it would be the begining of the end ofr Canada, as Alberta and BC would quickly follow. In the end, we would probably all be absorbed by the USA because they wouldn't stand for that level of instability right on their border. Me? I would welcome that. I'm tired of the old partisan bickering from both side. I don't want to eat poutine at every meal and the queen can go (*)(*)(*)(*) herself for all I care. Give me a Stetson and a Beer and let me watch football... Next!
(*)(*)(*)(*) that, I will never be part of the US. If you love èm so much, move there. As far as Quebec, suck it up buttercup. You are part of Canada so just forget about separating...dumb, dumb move. Us beer and NFL sux big time...go Lions go!!!!
It has nothing to do with love but all to do with reality. Culturaly, there isn't that much of a difference between the two country. In fact if it wasn't for Quebec, someone would be hard pressed to know the difference. Ever been to the prairies? They sure love their pick-up truck and cowboy hats... I said I wasn't a separatist... Did you even read what I posted before going on your silly rant? As for beer, I hope you are talking micro-brewery... because the mainstream stuff like Molson and Labatt are now produced and shipped from both side of the line, meaning that you may be drinking an american beer under a canadian label.
I love the Quebecois: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDXeDfiYz3A"]AWA Nick Bockwinkel's face turn - Winnipeg version Part 1 - YouTube[/ame]
I asked questions. You didn't answer any of them because you don't know the answers, nor does anyone else. And from my last post, did you make an assumption on my support or otherwise for separation because I didn't write it with that in mind.
can Quebec survive without Canada, but you have to do it new. or you will vanish like the aboriginal tasmanians. you know the Anglos do this job very professional
I have never thought that Quebec should separate, but with Francois Legault's rise, I am beginning to think that it may be a good option and here is why. Quebeckers pay the highest taxes in North America. Of course, for all the high taxes, people get shoddy services, long wait times in the ER and a cumbling infrastructure etc etc. High taxes=low revenues. No brainer. I think Legault has some good ideas on how to make Quebec more business friendly, attract investment and new jobs and improve everyone's quality of life. Notwithstanding the whole question of Canadian patriotism, if Quebec can offer an economic climate that is better than Canada's and if Quebeckers can live a better quality life than they could in Canada, then I would say, "Why not separate"?
I am afraid of what will happen to Canada if Quebec separates. It of course, would be disastrous for us Acadians and other French-speakers outside of Quebec because there would be a backlash against us for sure, and then we'd probably be more likely to have our rights infringed upon. It's not just that, but Quebec is good for keeping the neocons at bay. They're a sound, level-headed, anti-globalist voice in this country and keeps things balanced. English people don't seem to realize how bad neoconservatism is. Yes, it's based of Anglo-Saxon values and that's probably why they support it, but it hurts them too. I don't like talking about politics with them though, it usually makes me want to give myself an icepick lobotomy afterwards. That being said, if Quebec ever separated, I'd move there.
what do Quebecois asking for is - confederation and Canada can give it to them , and shows to rest of the world how good and applicable can be the transformation from a federation to a confederation
I don't know if independent Quebec had a chance to become a normal country, but I doubt if Canada ever will, where if you're not an active, willing member of the elite, the system is no longer working for you, and you have degraded yourself to be only their fresh meat. Since the middle class is in the process of getting phased out, soon you'll be left with the privelaged elite (lawyers, bankers, radicalized social studies graduates turned politicians or crazy media gurus, outsourcing enterpreneurs) and the underclass working for menial wages with no benefits or job security, and no real political voice since the official, censored in-line media do all the talking for them as far as politicians are concerned. There isn't a problem out there which does not require a gov't program or intervention seems to be a prevailing motto.
Quebec has much better chance to become a normal country then Poland has ever had , it will be something like Norway just bigger and more happy
I am very interested in this as my mothers side came to Maine from Quebec and my Grandmother never spoke a word of English until she was 21 , I am leaning towards they should stay with Canada after all this time.
I mean no disrespect to any Quebecois, but I hope Quebec does separate and for purely selfish reasons. Having lived there and in Western Canada now for over 30 years, it would mean one hell of a lot less money goes out of BC and Alberta in the form of transfer payments. But here is a question in return for you...if Quebec separates should it be based on the colony's traditional boundaries? Or should the new nation also include the lands granted them through confederation, e.g that huge chunk of Labrador that was once part of Newfoundland? And what about hockey? Les Canadiens move to Ottawa? Or do they get a name change after 100 years? And one last question for you. What if Alberta and British Columbia separated from Canada? It would be a nation with a larger population than New Zealand with a larger GNP, 80 % of the oil and gas and all of the Pacific ports. Before you say there is no cultural reason to support separation, remember that both provinces stood independent from 'Upper Canada' for many years before being bribed to join confederation with the promise of a continental railway...on which the west was then supremely screwed by the Cow's Nest Pass Rate Agreement. Not much holding us here, mon ami and a lot of us are getting sick and tired of our hard earned money going east.
Since I don't follow East European politics with passion, perhaps you can enlighten me on how Lithuania encompasses or subscribes to the terms of normality better than Poland. Both countries seem to have their episodes of nationalist, sentimental or religious embaressments, whether occasional or routine. In Poland, the greedy Catholic Church routinely mettles in politics visibly ignoring the separation of Church and State principle, and there was also that incident of a presidential plane flying into a side of a hill in dense fog (luckily that other pilot who recently belly landed a 767 seems to have saved the Polish pride). You on the other hand could well tell me how you aspire to re-establish the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as you seem to indicate by your ridiculous motto? How does Lithuania intend to wage and win a war against Belarus and Ukraine? With sentiments?
Well, remember that Alberta and BC are so much further away from Ottawa while Ontario and Quebec so much closer and hence more relevant to Ottawa politics. On the point of bribery, isn't this how the separatists lost the referendum vote in 95, with Ottawa bribing everyone, especially the interest groups with handouts and breaking the law by spending something like $100 million more than what's allowed to be spent on political campaigns? I don't understand why Ottawa would not allow the Quebecers to make up their own minds on this issue, or at least not get involved in it beyond what was permitted under the clearly defined law.
the common geopolitical interests, then positive image of THe GDL especially in Belarus, then im not sure then Lietuvos Respublika is a main player in this processes
I think you've been drinking some rather strong mead lately. Belarus gov't is pro-Russian, while the opposition is pro-Western but rather independently minded and does not really care about some unificational sentiments with Lithuania (unless they get taken under some Tartar yoke first). There's no geopolitics here, just regional politics.
i m sure have never been in belarus and you are a longly man in a cold country, the belarusian pro-Western opposition knows the history of the GDL much better then you, in the XVIII belarusians have almost totally dominated the GDL , 80% of the ruling noble class (szlachta) were the rusins (belarusians). There's no geopolitics 3 small independent Baltic states can not survive on their own
Well, the Radziwills lorded over what's today Lithuania, while the Rus nobility lorded over what's today Ukraine and parts of Belarus. Ethnically speaking, who ran what back then kinda reflects who runs where and what today, so how is this an incentive towards a unification? Why would you wish to unify with Belarus? They're orthodox, while Lithuania is Catholic/Protestant. Lithuanian language is Baltic while in Belarus they speak Russian, an eastern Slavic. Did Belarussians express their willingness to allow Lithuania to join them? Lithuania is in EU, while Belarus is not. How do you envision working around these technicalities? What's your grand plan?
really? you disqualificated your self right new wrong wrong sorry , have no time for reeducation the thing is that USA , Russia, EU want this region to be a stable ....so start to think form this point