It seems that the plan to add thirty seats to Parliament, all outside Quebec has shocked the province, with many commentators openly ruing the fact that Quebec was responsible for the failure of the 1992 Charlottetown Accord. The agreement guaranteed Quebec 25% of the seats in Parliament, regardless of demographics, as well as a basket of other constitutional goodies.
There's little doubt that if that same constitutional package were offered to Quebec today, it would be accepted by a wide margin in Quebec, but likely rejected in Canada.
Alas, the only thing that I agree with Mr. Duceppe, is that is a new round of constitutional negotiations is not likely.
Here are the results of the poll commissioned by the Bloc and prepared by REPERE COMMUNICATION
Since 1992, Anglo attitudes towards accommodating Quebec has hardened. Quebec's language policies and its constant chirping about the iniquities of the federal system, all the while benefiting from billions in dollars of entitlements paid for by Anglo provinces, has convinced Anglos that there will be no end to the demands and that compromise is futile.
The Bloc Quebecois' irksome presence in Ottawa and the constant anti-Canadian rhetoric has also contributed to the declining attitude towards any accomodation with Quebec.
The Bloc poll is inherently dishonest, not because it shows Canadians as opposed to negotiations, but rather because it fails to mention that the Bloc is even more dis-interested in constitutional change, with sovereignty as its only goal.
Jacques Parizeau openly admitted that his rejection and his campaign against the Charlottetown Accord in 1992 was based on his one and only goal- sovereignty. In fact he wasn't shy to remind militants that any type of agreement would undermine efforts to achieve the goal of sovereignty.
As they say in French." La question qui tue" (the burning question) -
"Why would separatists commission a poll asking Canadians if they are willing to negotiate constitutional change, if the separatists are not?"
Je lis votre sondage, finalement le Québec ne peut rien faire ! On ne se demande plus pourquoi on doit se séparer ! C'est comme une union forcée ! Vive l'indépendance ! God save the Queen !
ReplyDeleteAt the last bar chart, it seems an error appear !''Blue is Québec'' and ''Red is don't agree''? Finally, it's kind of homemade survey, between extremists !
ReplyDelete"Should the government of Canada respect the provisions of Bill 101 within Quebec which declares French the only official language of Quebec?"
ReplyDeleteQuebec
90% agree
10% disagree
Just based on this, I can tell you that this poll was tempered with. 20% of Quebec's population is non-Francophone, so the % for disagree should have been around 20%. Not to mention that there are also many Francophones with disagree with some provisions of Bill 101 and recognize 101's limitations and impracticalities.
The Bloc is reaching. They are a desperate bunch.
And the question itself reflects the absolutist nature of Bill 101. French was declared the official language, so we should all fold and obey. Despite the fact that we might be OK to carry on in a number of other languages.
GlobalTV, today:
ReplyDeletePoll shows Quebecers support right to choose language of education
http://news.globaltv.com/entertainment/Poll+shows+Quebecers+support+right+choose+language+education/3010906/story.html
“…The poll, conducted for The Gazette by Leger Marketing, asked whether students other than those now allowed, including francophones, should have access to English-language schools if they wish.
A total of 66 per cent of a representative sample of Quebecers agreed that they should, including a 61 per cent clear majority of francophones.
Non-francophones were even more overwhelmingly in favour, at 87 per cent… “
I wonder what the Bloc and the PQ have to say about this.
They forgot 1 option for each of those questions - "Don't care"
ReplyDelete"Quebec is shocked by 30 new m.p.'s all outside of Quebec",,,
ReplyDeleteI don't see why Quebec is "shocked" at all. For many, many, years it zealously supported the Liberal party (especially under Trudeau) and they threw Canada's doors wide, wide open to global immigration in massive numbers. This is the ONLY reason for the population increase and the new seats. Quebec can only blame itself for all of this.
Also I don't know exactly how the questions were asked or framed, but there are now plenty of people in Canada that would have no problem at all if Quebec left. Call it "national-unity burnout" if you want. Many Canadians are now aware of the huge economic, linguistic and political costs of Quebec to the rest of the country (consider the huge transfer payments). Plus there is a growing feeling that Quebec can never be satisifed or appeased.
The Toronto guy....
adski's comment of 10:27am is a good observation. I cannot believe 50% of the minority OK'd Bill 101 as supreme. Far from it. Then again, lying with statistics is probably the second oldest profession.
ReplyDeleteIn Mortechai Richler's book Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! Reed Scowen, a Quebec MNA at the time, pointed out contradicting statements made by French language zealots and an English speaking demographer. If both hypotheses were followed to their logical conclusion, the demographer stated that by some given date in the future, there would be no English speaking people left in Quebec, and the French language zealots stated everybody in Quebec would be speaking English. So much for reconciliation and accurate statistics!
Where in Quebec do they speak French? The language of Quebec was and is JOUAL a form of French patois. Even the Quebecois playright Michel Tremblay said that the Quebecois have their own language, which is Joual, need I go any further?
ReplyDelete