I'm a Franco-Ontarian living in China, and wondering how would bilingual Canadians, be they Franco-Ontarians, English Quebecers or others in other provinces, especially those whose families live in both Quebec and the ROC, fare in the event of a yes vote?
Would Franco-Ontarians have reason to fear? From what I've been reading in these threads, in the event of a yes vote in Quebec, English Canadians will want blood! Now my father's British, my mother's Franco-Ontarian too, and I'm fluently bilingual, though with a bit of an English accent now when I speak French, so I could probably hide my identity farely easily except for my obviously French name. Does anyone think French canadians need fear for their safety in the event of a yes vote? I also have family and friends in both Quebec and the ROC, as I've lived in BC and Quebec before too.
But quite honestly, while I'm indifferent to a vote for sovereingty, I must say that all the hipe about civil war I've read on this and other threads only makes me hate the side propagating such fanaticism most, and it's usually the English Canadians (though I've come across some Quebecois nut-cases too).
So I'd like to know how other bilingual French/English canadians with a dual identity in their hearts feel or think of the whole sovereignty debate. Another thing which really turns me away is how both the colonialist English and French Canadians can so hypocritically fight like two elephants while the First Nations' languages and cultures are crushed like mice underfoot on their own soil!
I'm also sick of the propaganda on both sides too! Sure Quebec won't get federal transfer payments, but then again, it won't pay taxes to the feds either. My main concern is first and foremost for the rights of First Nations both in the ROC and Quebec, secondly for us ROC francophones and English Quebecers, and also for all other minorities on both sides. In the end, any thinking poerson could see that on a strictly technical level, Quebec sovereignty would be nothing more than administrative restructuring, which isn't as 'doomsday' as some make it out to be. The real issue is emotional, and that can be scary! Think about it! How will Quebec react if Franco Ontarians start suffering? How will the ROC react if Englich Quebecers start suffering? Will anybody react if the natives are trampled under foot for the preservation of the European cultures which have been transplanted on their continent? And how will those who identify with both sides or neither side react (remember, Anglo-Franco mixed bloods are about 5% of Canada on both sides of the ROC/Quebec border, and we're not about to allow anyone build a border between our families! The day my family members in Ontario and Quebec have separate passports is the day we raise hell on both sides of the border!
So from what I can see, unless either side wants the bilinguals, First nations, 'allophones and other minorities on both sides, not to mention their sympathisers also, raise hell after a yes vote, I think it would be prudent for both sides to think crefully about the potential consequences of their reaction after sovereignty, should that occur. Again, I'm neither for or against sovereingty for Quebec, as long as my family keeps the same citizenship on both sides of the border. This would mean therefore that it could only be limited or partial sovereignty. I should also say that while Angl-Quebecers and Franco-ontarians are normally the ones moslt likely to oppose sovereignty, they're also the ones most likely to unite in the face of a vengeful Fedral government which decides to crete separate citizenships for Quebecers and ROCers. And the same goes for any sovereignist government which tries that. English Quebecers, Franco-Ontarians and biliguals on both sides will certainly plce family loyalty well above any petty national differences. To hell with canada and Quebec, but don't separate our families. Sorry, just had to rant here.
Would Franco-Ontarians have reason to fear? From what I've been reading in these threads, in the event of a yes vote in Quebec, English Canadians will want blood! Now my father's British, my mother's Franco-Ontarian too, and I'm fluently bilingual, though with a bit of an English accent now when I speak French, so I could probably hide my identity farely easily except for my obviously French name. Does anyone think French canadians need fear for their safety in the event of a yes vote? I also have family and friends in both Quebec and the ROC, as I've lived in BC and Quebec before too.
But quite honestly, while I'm indifferent to a vote for sovereingty, I must say that all the hipe about civil war I've read on this and other threads only makes me hate the side propagating such fanaticism most, and it's usually the English Canadians (though I've come across some Quebecois nut-cases too).
So I'd like to know how other bilingual French/English canadians with a dual identity in their hearts feel or think of the whole sovereignty debate. Another thing which really turns me away is how both the colonialist English and French Canadians can so hypocritically fight like two elephants while the First Nations' languages and cultures are crushed like mice underfoot on their own soil!
I'm also sick of the propaganda on both sides too! Sure Quebec won't get federal transfer payments, but then again, it won't pay taxes to the feds either. My main concern is first and foremost for the rights of First Nations both in the ROC and Quebec, secondly for us ROC francophones and English Quebecers, and also for all other minorities on both sides. In the end, any thinking poerson could see that on a strictly technical level, Quebec sovereignty would be nothing more than administrative restructuring, which isn't as 'doomsday' as some make it out to be. The real issue is emotional, and that can be scary! Think about it! How will Quebec react if Franco Ontarians start suffering? How will the ROC react if Englich Quebecers start suffering? Will anybody react if the natives are trampled under foot for the preservation of the European cultures which have been transplanted on their continent? And how will those who identify with both sides or neither side react (remember, Anglo-Franco mixed bloods are about 5% of Canada on both sides of the ROC/Quebec border, and we're not about to allow anyone build a border between our families! The day my family members in Ontario and Quebec have separate passports is the day we raise hell on both sides of the border!
So from what I can see, unless either side wants the bilinguals, First nations, 'allophones and other minorities on both sides, not to mention their sympathisers also, raise hell after a yes vote, I think it would be prudent for both sides to think crefully about the potential consequences of their reaction after sovereignty, should that occur. Again, I'm neither for or against sovereingty for Quebec, as long as my family keeps the same citizenship on both sides of the border. This would mean therefore that it could only be limited or partial sovereignty. I should also say that while Angl-Quebecers and Franco-ontarians are normally the ones moslt likely to oppose sovereignty, they're also the ones most likely to unite in the face of a vengeful Fedral government which decides to crete separate citizenships for Quebecers and ROCers. And the same goes for any sovereignist government which tries that. English Quebecers, Franco-Ontarians and biliguals on both sides will certainly plce family loyalty well above any petty national differences. To hell with canada and Quebec, but don't separate our families. Sorry, just had to rant here.
