Screw all this hooplah! Quebec isn't going anywhere in the near future and neither are the Maritimes, and if Quebec did separate, the Maritimes would certainly not opt to join the US. People need to get over the idea that within every Canadian is a wannabe American. It's not true. The enitre foundation of this country is based on the idea of not wanting to be American. That was the idea behind Confederation, coming together for the protection of British North America from American envy of our natural resources.
Maritimes Future after Quebec Separation
- Thread starter DasFX
- Start date
would love to become a province or state of ireland since the majority of the people are irish descent in new brunswick.would be great to be paid in Euros as well.
I'm from NB and I can tell you that even the Acadians want nothing to do with Quebec. They consider them to be ignorant. Even though NB is called "Officially Bilingual" the fact is that less than 30% of NBer's read or speak French, and that statistic has remained virtually unchanged since Trudeau's time, when he was working on having Canada become bilingual. I believe nationally the figure for French speakers is only aroung 17%, and that too has remained unchanged for over 40 years.
Just to add my two cents to this newly disinterred topic:
A one point a remedy was suggested by the pro-Canada side that sounded to me to be such a simple solution that it would be criminal not to use it. Let's face it, Montreal is not going to want to separate. Neither are the Eastern Townships. A Canadian corridor from the Ontario/Quebec border including Montreal and on to Quebec's eastern border with New Brunswick. Any separation would include these conditions. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
A one point a remedy was suggested by the pro-Canada side that sounded to me to be such a simple solution that it would be criminal not to use it. Let's face it, Montreal is not going to want to separate. Neither are the Eastern Townships. A Canadian corridor from the Ontario/Quebec border including Montreal and on to Quebec's eastern border with New Brunswick. Any separation would include these conditions. Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.
Quebec's not going to separate. That would mean separating its hand from the Canadian pocket....
Wolf
Wolf
whats the point of keeping french classes in our schools if the vast majority is not going to speak it
Alaska and Hawaii are states and aren't geographically located within the continental US so Atlantic Canada could do the same.
;-)Ok, we can get divorced, but you can't live in my house, and I'm through paying your mortgage, got it!
And take your hand off my wallet.8O
And take your hand off my wallet.8O
Why should the maritimes seperate because of Quebec? What is the justification for this co-incidence?
Why should Quebec seperate when Canada would cede any degree of sovereignty they desire, over time? The last 50 years have seen a revolution in Quebec, with scarce sign of violence, and the next 50 will be no more destructive, but less so whether Quebec 'seperates' or not. The event of moderate seperation will make Rene Lesveque look like a prophet because Sovereignty-Association has been arriving and has arrived in a non-disruptive form.
Unethical scare tactics won the last referendum. Will they work again? Threats won the last referendum. Will they work again? Is threatening ethically credible? What would be the effect of a bitterly contested and ill-received seperation, after phony contentions about currencies and seaways?
Harper's acceptance of the state of Quebec is unconditional, and for better or worse, and I don't think that he will blackmail Quebec with bitterness, though he must be seen as on the federalist side. Too many see it as his job. The next referendum will not be so scarey or bitter. There is the possibility of the 'birth of a nation', full grown, democratic, as large as all Europe and anxious to take a seat beside us as an ally at the U.N., possibly even in Nato. This idea of a nation created not by war or accident or revolutionary war or colonial consent, but by a century of peaceful determination and negotiation and referendum, without a single shot. A first for mankind. This is the worst case scenario. They'll be born into NAFTA by consent.
Threatening must be considered as out of Canadian character or it may backfire. If the referendum is as close as the last one was, the fact is that there is a 49% chance that the answer may be a 'Yes', and nobody will panic.
Why should Quebec seperate when Canada would cede any degree of sovereignty they desire, over time? The last 50 years have seen a revolution in Quebec, with scarce sign of violence, and the next 50 will be no more destructive, but less so whether Quebec 'seperates' or not. The event of moderate seperation will make Rene Lesveque look like a prophet because Sovereignty-Association has been arriving and has arrived in a non-disruptive form.
Unethical scare tactics won the last referendum. Will they work again? Threats won the last referendum. Will they work again? Is threatening ethically credible? What would be the effect of a bitterly contested and ill-received seperation, after phony contentions about currencies and seaways?
Harper's acceptance of the state of Quebec is unconditional, and for better or worse, and I don't think that he will blackmail Quebec with bitterness, though he must be seen as on the federalist side. Too many see it as his job. The next referendum will not be so scarey or bitter. There is the possibility of the 'birth of a nation', full grown, democratic, as large as all Europe and anxious to take a seat beside us as an ally at the U.N., possibly even in Nato. This idea of a nation created not by war or accident or revolutionary war or colonial consent, but by a century of peaceful determination and negotiation and referendum, without a single shot. A first for mankind. This is the worst case scenario. They'll be born into NAFTA by consent.
Threatening must be considered as out of Canadian character or it may backfire. If the referendum is as close as the last one was, the fact is that there is a 49% chance that the answer may be a 'Yes', and nobody will panic.
As a Quebecker of Scottish ancestry, I would like to see the Maritimes join Quebec following independence. I understand this is highly improbable but I believe this option should be considered just as seriously. Both share a common Celtic heritage that is more and more foreign to the rest of Canada. Quebec has the merit of fighting for its heritage, while Canada is slowly drowning its own heritage in blind multiculturalism. No offence but statistics show that pretty soon being Canadian will mean being Pakistani or Chinese, indifferent to when or how this land was first setlled, by pioneering French, Irish and Scots. There are things that bond people stronger than language, common traditions, relation to the land, music, shared hardship, etc. An english-speaking New Brunswicker of Irish ancestry has a hundred times more in common with a french-speaking Quebecker than with another english-speaking Canadian from BC of Chinese or Indu descent. These things matter more than than people will admit to themselves, they're the glue that gives a country a common identity. People of Irish, Scottish or French descent (most of which came from Brittany) are Celtic brothers that can work together to defend what they hold in common. Maybe one day folks in the Maritimes will realize their heritage had more chance of lasting by staying with Quebec than staying with Canada.
Hello, LouisMcleod. I'm a Quebecer of Irish ancestry and like you, I have much sympathy for the independance cause... However, I would think it highly unlikely that the Maritimes would want to join Quebec in seperating from Canada.
A good compromise would be if Canada decentralized itself significantly and accept that unity is possible through strong provincial autonomy and without federal bullying. From that point on, Quebec and the maritimes would indeed have much to cooperate on because of their common heritage.
A good compromise would be if Canada decentralized itself significantly and accept that unity is possible through strong provincial autonomy and without federal bullying. From that point on, Quebec and the maritimes would indeed have much to cooperate on because of their common heritage.
Hello! I'm from Western Canada and I don't even pretend to know all of the issues
involved with Quebec separation, but I do have some questions that I hope some
informed person can answer for me. Many of us in the West of Canada may not
know much about the reasons that Quebec wants to separate, as we usually
only hear about the scandals and inquiries, the threats to separate and the volume
of the Equalization Payments that Quebec receives. I'm sure we receive a biased
and slanted view of things, and there are always at least two sides to every story,
but what's the other side? Other than biting the hand that feeds them, why would
Quebec even want to separate from Canada? Aside from holding the rest of
Canada hostage with their threats of separation, and ensuring the very real potential
of continuous minority Federal Governments to continue to hold Canada hostage
(and very tasty Maple syrup) what's the downside to Quebec becoming its own
sovereign nation for the rest of the Canadians that want to be Canadians, and are
proud to be Canadians?
If Quebec separates from Canada, do they leave with only the territory that
they came in with? That would leave the northern half (at least) of what is now
called Quebec as a part of Canada, leaving many of the Aboriginals on those
Reservations still inside of Canada and therefore the Treaties would still be in
effect? That would also leave many of the rivers that flow across Quebec in the
country of Canada, ready to be dammed for Hydro-Electric power to be utilized
or sold in whatever manner Canada chooses? If this is the case, could not a
super-highway be built (in Canada) from Ontario to the north of the Quebec Sovereign
Nation to the Maritimes? Would Quebec would look similar to what was once
known as "Upper Canada" but excluding the Ontario portion?
If Quebec separates from Canada, could the rest of Canada drop French as this
official second language, simplifying everything from Drivers Daily Logs, to every
government form, labeling on every food item, and so on and so forth?
Would trade not continue between Eastern & Western Canada via that super-highway
north of a much smaller Quebec Sovereign Nation, and the St. Lawrence Seaway, and
through an in-bond system across the North-Eastern U.S. states?
If Quebec separates from Canada, wouldn't the removal of their vote (their # of seats) in
Parliament greatly increase the voices of the Maritimes and Western Canada making an
elected Federal Government something the majority of Canadians elect, and not just
something elected by Ontario & Quebec with the rest of us just along for the ride? The
Equalization payments would then have to go Canadian Provinces that want to be
Canadian Provinces so that everyone can have a better life, and not just as monstrous
and continual bribery to prop up Quebec and keep it in Canada? Couldn't much of whatever
manufacturing that is coming out of Quebec to the rest of Canada, be done in many of the
plants in Ontario that are currently having issues due to the soft American market, with
the customers being Canada, the USA, and Quebec? Much of the monies that Quebec is
currently receiving in Equalization payments can therefore go to Ontario and the Maritimes,
and the Western Provinces can just stop hearing Quebec threaten to separate from
Canada.
If Quebec separates from Canada, does it forfeit everything it's population has contributed
to the Canadian Pension Plan? The Sovereign Nation of Quebec will get to bail out Bombardier
the next time it tanks, just like the Canadian taxpayers have done so many times already!
Would their currency have Stephon Dion on the bills, or that inflatable Michelin-Man looking
mascot thing? I'm sure, for a fee, that Canada can print the new currency for Quebec in the
National Mint in Winnipeg, as Canada already prints the currency for many other countries.
If Quebec separates from Canada, I can see the downfall for Quebec, but not for the rest of
Canada....can some informed person please enlighten me?
If Quebec separates from Canada, I sure would miss Maple syrup, but I'll get over it.
involved with Quebec separation, but I do have some questions that I hope some
informed person can answer for me. Many of us in the West of Canada may not
know much about the reasons that Quebec wants to separate, as we usually
only hear about the scandals and inquiries, the threats to separate and the volume
of the Equalization Payments that Quebec receives. I'm sure we receive a biased
and slanted view of things, and there are always at least two sides to every story,
but what's the other side? Other than biting the hand that feeds them, why would
Quebec even want to separate from Canada? Aside from holding the rest of
Canada hostage with their threats of separation, and ensuring the very real potential
of continuous minority Federal Governments to continue to hold Canada hostage
(and very tasty Maple syrup) what's the downside to Quebec becoming its own
sovereign nation for the rest of the Canadians that want to be Canadians, and are
proud to be Canadians?
If Quebec separates from Canada, do they leave with only the territory that
they came in with? That would leave the northern half (at least) of what is now
called Quebec as a part of Canada, leaving many of the Aboriginals on those
Reservations still inside of Canada and therefore the Treaties would still be in
effect? That would also leave many of the rivers that flow across Quebec in the
country of Canada, ready to be dammed for Hydro-Electric power to be utilized
or sold in whatever manner Canada chooses? If this is the case, could not a
super-highway be built (in Canada) from Ontario to the north of the Quebec Sovereign
Nation to the Maritimes? Would Quebec would look similar to what was once
known as "Upper Canada" but excluding the Ontario portion?
If Quebec separates from Canada, could the rest of Canada drop French as this
official second language, simplifying everything from Drivers Daily Logs, to every
government form, labeling on every food item, and so on and so forth?
Would trade not continue between Eastern & Western Canada via that super-highway
north of a much smaller Quebec Sovereign Nation, and the St. Lawrence Seaway, and
through an in-bond system across the North-Eastern U.S. states?
If Quebec separates from Canada, wouldn't the removal of their vote (their # of seats) in
Parliament greatly increase the voices of the Maritimes and Western Canada making an
elected Federal Government something the majority of Canadians elect, and not just
something elected by Ontario & Quebec with the rest of us just along for the ride? The
Equalization payments would then have to go Canadian Provinces that want to be
Canadian Provinces so that everyone can have a better life, and not just as monstrous
and continual bribery to prop up Quebec and keep it in Canada? Couldn't much of whatever
manufacturing that is coming out of Quebec to the rest of Canada, be done in many of the
plants in Ontario that are currently having issues due to the soft American market, with
the customers being Canada, the USA, and Quebec? Much of the monies that Quebec is
currently receiving in Equalization payments can therefore go to Ontario and the Maritimes,
and the Western Provinces can just stop hearing Quebec threaten to separate from
Canada.
If Quebec separates from Canada, does it forfeit everything it's population has contributed
to the Canadian Pension Plan? The Sovereign Nation of Quebec will get to bail out Bombardier
the next time it tanks, just like the Canadian taxpayers have done so many times already!
Would their currency have Stephon Dion on the bills, or that inflatable Michelin-Man looking
mascot thing? I'm sure, for a fee, that Canada can print the new currency for Quebec in the
National Mint in Winnipeg, as Canada already prints the currency for many other countries.
If Quebec separates from Canada, I can see the downfall for Quebec, but not for the rest of
Canada....can some informed person please enlighten me?
If Quebec separates from Canada, I sure would miss Maple syrup, but I'll get over it.
Well I'm in Nova Scotia and I don't even know wtf they want or why they keep moaning about seperating. I just think they're attention who'ars who like to play the running away card in order to get more out of the government then the rest of the country all because they think they're more special because they speak french.
Well whoopie doo... there's people in Cape Breton who still speak Gaelic, throw them a parade! How about Newfoundland? They're a pretty damn unique society all on their own with their own language too that most in Canada can't understand easily..... LET THEM EAT CAKE!
I dunno... I have no clue why they're so whiney. Actually from what I gather, it is only a select minority of Quebec who want to seperate, but then again.... that's media for ya.
The downsides would be more in Quebec's favor, as Canada is already a situated country known in the world. If I were running things and Quebec was threatening to pull out, I'd tell them to take off eh!
I'd then pull all our military, all our funding, power that passes over provincial borders, and so on.... I would cut everything. They would have to quickly make their own government, form their own military, buy equipment for that military, make or adopt their own currency.... quite honestly they'd be screwed for the first couple of years and most likely they would have people on the streets looking for blood for the idiot who thought up the plan to seperate in the first place and then they'd be wanting back into Canada.
It ain't perfect, but it could be worse.
One problem and an advantage Quebec would hold over canada would be the ability to cut and reduce travel and trade between western canada and the atlantic, and while the US has ocean to play around in for getting to their two states off shore, Canada wouldn't have that luxury.... and this is where the idea of what the hell us in the Atlantic would do comes into play.
But another big problem that would occur, is that if Quebec seperates or even starts to bring it up in a big way, both the US, Russia and a few other countries are right on their toes waiting for a chance to take some new available territory in the artic for their precious passage ways or newly discovered oil hot spots.
Most likely that would occur......
..... only for it to be replaced by Chinese or Urdu.
Most likely with a pile of tarrifs and duties to pass through their country to do so, and they might even find a way to restrict the air space above them to make it even more harder for east and west to connect. That to me is Quebec's only playing card.... to D*ck over Canada for more money.
Naw, they're probably just remove those seats to keep things the same. They're jerks like that.
Yeah but us here in the maritimes will still be dubbed the unemployment moochers of the country and most of all that extra money will go right back into Ontario like it always does. I've always figured that we're not getting enough jobs as it currently stands and our premieres are constantly screwing us over with crap ass deals with the federal government (The oil for example.... Newfoundland's premiere is pretty PO'd over it.) Maybe we should also say screw it with Canada and then just join back with the UK.... start trading with them and bring them back their old skool ports they once had in the Americas... get some jobs back here for once.
Ever since Canada moved out west from here to build across the rockies and the plains.... all the money and funding went with it. the maritimes were a rich area once apon a time and we've gotten poorer and poorer ever since.
Seems like joining with Canada was a mistake sometimes. But I only get pissy when I think about it. Most days I just ignore the problems around here.
Hmmmm..... That would be funny, lol.
Well I don't claim to be very informed about it myself, but I remember when I was a wee lad when Quebec was doing the whole seperatist thing in the 90's.... most here in the maritimes were convienced that we would be merged with the US because it would cost Canada too much to deal with us through/over/around Quebec...... that scared the crap out of me and still sorta does.... I don't want to be a part of the US for the simple fact that we'd be considdered 2nd class citizens, we'd be sucked out of all our resorces more then what we already are and we'd probably be the last in the country to get any assistence of any kind. Quite simply we'd be worse off then we are now..... and it makes no sense to join Quebec because they'd be in enough crap they'd have to deal with in the first place, not to mention how upitty they are about their own culture and identity, they too wouldn't give a rats ass about us in the maritimes and we'd still be 2nd class citizens..... like some friggin pay back to the English or something.
Joining the UK would be the only real logical solution.
But in a nut shell Canada knows Quebec won't seperate and Quebec knows Canada won't allow them to seperate, so it'll just continue to be a political soap opera for years to come.
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I've worked (in my youth, in Saskatchewan and in Alberta) with
many guys from the Maritimes in construction and the oil fields. I've heard
their opinions and concerns about the lack of employment at home and the
threats of Quebec separating. I've never worked with anyone from Quebec
so I've never heard their side of things. If things are so bad that so much of
the Equalization Monies have to be funneled into Quebec, why have I not
run into anyone from Quebec out here in the west where the economy is hot?
If you have a positive attitude, and you want to work, Western Canada needs
more people, and the door is open.
I'll tell you straight out. Employers here love hiring (especially in the
construction field) folks from the Maritimes, and then having the rest of the
crew just try to keep up with the pace set by someone from the East Coast.
Twenty years ago when Saskatchewan's Economy was flat, all I need to say
to get a job in Alberta was, "I'm from Saskatchewan!" That's the way it is in
Alberta right now for folks from the Maritimes, skilled or not. It's the work
ethic that may employers are looking for. Saskatchewan is now rocking too.
As far as trimming the deadwood from the tree to make it healthier, there's
lots of room (and work, and opportunity) out west for anyone who wants to
come. If Quebec ever wants to forge out on their own, well Quebec...smell
ya' later.
many guys from the Maritimes in construction and the oil fields. I've heard
their opinions and concerns about the lack of employment at home and the
threats of Quebec separating. I've never worked with anyone from Quebec
so I've never heard their side of things. If things are so bad that so much of
the Equalization Monies have to be funneled into Quebec, why have I not
run into anyone from Quebec out here in the west where the economy is hot?
If you have a positive attitude, and you want to work, Western Canada needs
more people, and the door is open.
I'll tell you straight out. Employers here love hiring (especially in the
construction field) folks from the Maritimes, and then having the rest of the
crew just try to keep up with the pace set by someone from the East Coast.
Twenty years ago when Saskatchewan's Economy was flat, all I need to say
to get a job in Alberta was, "I'm from Saskatchewan!" That's the way it is in
Alberta right now for folks from the Maritimes, skilled or not. It's the work
ethic that may employers are looking for. Saskatchewan is now rocking too.
As far as trimming the deadwood from the tree to make it healthier, there's
lots of room (and work, and opportunity) out west for anyone who wants to
come. If Quebec ever wants to forge out on their own, well Quebec...smell
ya' later.
My, aren't you touchy. I last heard about it a couple of days
ago, after the protest in Paris about the Olympic Torch run there and
before the Torch run in San Francisco when an comparison was made
on the radio between the China & Tibet, and Canada & Quebec. And no,
it wasn't the Province of Quebec announcing this on the radio, it was the
stations announcers.
To put this in some perspective, when was the last time YOU heard
about Manitoba wanting to separate from Canada? When was the last time
YOU heard about Ohio wanting to separate from the USA? Have YOU ever
heard of Quebec wanting to separate from Canada? Do YOU think this issue
of Quebec wanting to separate from Canada isn't going to be brought up again
by Quebec? If this wasn't a concern, this Blog wouldn't exist, and you wouldn't
be following it, would you?
So to answer your question, I haven't heard this brought up in the media for
about 48 hours or so, give or take a couple of hours.
ago, after the protest in Paris about the Olympic Torch run there and
before the Torch run in San Francisco when an comparison was made
on the radio between the China & Tibet, and Canada & Quebec. And no,
it wasn't the Province of Quebec announcing this on the radio, it was the
stations announcers.
To put this in some perspective, when was the last time YOU heard
about Manitoba wanting to separate from Canada? When was the last time
YOU heard about Ohio wanting to separate from the USA? Have YOU ever
heard of Quebec wanting to separate from Canada? Do YOU think this issue
of Quebec wanting to separate from Canada isn't going to be brought up again
by Quebec? If this wasn't a concern, this Blog wouldn't exist, and you wouldn't
be following it, would you?
So to answer your question, I haven't heard this brought up in the media for
about 48 hours or so, give or take a couple of hours.
Touchy? I asked a simple straigtforward question. Perhaps you are the touchy one...
So you heard Quebec threatening to seperate while hearing about the protests in Paris eh? Some journalist compared the China-Tibet situation to the Canada-Quebec situation and you consider that a threat from Quebec to seperate?
How about giving me more explanations on that?