Friday, January 10, 2014

As the Economy Tanks, Sovereignty Creeps Closer to Reality

The Chinese have an old dictum that tells us that "In Danger, There is Opportunity' which doesn't need much explanation, the evident truth that in turbulent times where the social and economic order is turned over, the public can become convinced to embark on a course of action that they never before would have considered.

Now I don't want to be accused of invoking Godwin's Law in comparing our situation here in Quebec to that of pre-war Nazi Germany or present-day Greece but it is important to understand that deteriorating economic conditions that Germany suffered in the thirties sent a sensible and hitherto educated, mature and democratic nation off the rails, where the evils of National Socialism took root and the blaming of Jews for the nation's woes took off like a wildfire, much to the surprise of learned observers.
The underlying lesson is obvious, there is no country, no matter how stable or democratic that is immune from the effect of a perfect storm of negative economic and political forces which can  lead to a devastating change in direction and a walk down the dark side.

The fundamental politics of a nation do change, sometimes slowly and sometimes quickly, who would have predicted that communism could collapse almost instantaneously in the 1980s and that the United States in this century would betray its proud heritage and leadership in the promotion of law and order and respect for fundamental human rights, morphing into a government of law-breakers, torturers, kidnappers and human rights abusers extraordinaire,
One horrific act of terrorism sent the United States down a course which betrayed every thing America stood for previously, becoming a nation which would break just about every right to privacy law on the books, not just against foes or enemies. but friends and common citizens as well, becoming an Orwellian state of thought police, where the right to a private conversation no longer recognized by the state.
Yup..things change.

Let us be honest for a moment.
How many of us were truly flabbergasted by the Quebec student riots over tuition and the level of disruption and chaos the demonstrations imposed on society over what is in essence a trivial issue.
Let us remember that the issue at hand wasn't language or culture, but rather money, the only true motivator in our modern Quebec society, or so it seems.

Sovereignty is well nigh impossible in Quebec as long as the province remains relatively prosperous and as long wealth distribution is reasonable, with no underclass to take to the barricades as during the French revolution.
The language or identity issue can't seem to do it, that is raise enough hackles to send Quebecers off to the polls voting themselves out of Canada in a pique or in a rage.
This is the situation we have lived for the last forty years of the sovereignty movement, a no-go due to the relative economic well-being of the province.

While Mario Beaulieu seeks to inflame emotions and engender conflict, his latest campaign in blasting the English press for over called "Quebec-bashing" is in reality, a resounding failure.
After much hoopla and publicity, the petition that he launched with much fanfare has garnered a paltry 3,000 signature, this a month later.
I'll remind readers that a petition to stop Kijiji from allowing advertising for Quebec puppy mills attracted over 60,000 signature, this without the mountains of free publicity that Mario Beaulieu and his anti-Quebec-bashing petition received from the media.
You'd think that every member of the Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the Mouvement Quebec Francais, Imperatif-francais and other like-minded groups would rush out to sign the petition, so it is pretty clear that combined, these groups have very few supporters, at least less than 3,000 across the province, I'd assume.

So if the language and cultural issues just don't have the traction to push francophone voters over the top, does it mean that the likelihood of sovereignty is dead?

Unfortunately it does not..
We are facing a very real threat of sovereignty based on economic conditions and as Quebec slides further down the economic scale as compared with the rest of Canada, it is only a matter of time before things degenerate to a point where Quebecers will embrace sovereignty as a potential economic saviour.

For the last thirty years, the rest of Canada has been shovelling billions of dollars into Quebec each year, in order to shore up its prosperity and maintain a semblance of wealth parity with Canada.

But that system is unsustainable, because Quebec has spent the money foolishly on social entitlement programs, which are in most cases, too rich for the blood of those in the rest of the provinces who actually pay for them.
Despite the largess of the other provinces, Quebec still cannot balance its budget and is falling farther and farther into debt, with the ultimate day of reckoning a few short years away.

Very soon, Quebec will face the problem of having to increase taxes massively coupled with the necessity of decreasing the overly generous services and entitlements and that dear readers will be the start of the real push for sovereignty.

In danger there is opportunity.

Language and culture aside, money or the lack thereof will push Quebecers to seek out of Canada in the misguided belief that things could be better economically outside the union.

Look at the Greek public's reaction to their economic misfortunes, whereby everybody else is blamed, the Greek government, the rich, the European union and particularly Germany which had the temerity to lend Greece money it could not pay back.
Accepting the reality of an imposed downgrade in the standard of living is the one consequence Greeks seem to be unable to accept.
Why should we be different?

The student uprising was the first rumbling of this effect, reminding the government forcefully that entitlements are sacrosanct and that any government that trifles with them will face the wrath of the Quebec people.
It doesn't augur well.

So is it fair to ask if the Parti Quebecois is running down the Quebec economy on purpose, in order to create conditions conducive to sovereignty?.. I think not.

They are not that bright, nor so cynical.

But the reality is that they are doing so just the same, that is, running down the economic well-being of the province, piling up more debt, spending more, seemingly unconcerned wealth creation.

A couple more years of economic disaster and the very real consequence of reduced benefits and higher taxes will energize the sovereignty movement.
If things get bad enough, all bets are off, a sad scenario perhaps, but realistic.

Look around you.
Do you see a government working feverishly to create wealth and prosperity or do you see a government with priorities elsewhere.

The worse off Quebec become economically, the more realistic the sovereignty option becomes.

If you think I'm exaggerating about the economic situation, read this chilling account by Kelly McParland for Maclean's;
"A more likely driver than the political climate is the relatively decrepit state of the Quebec economy coupled with the highest income taxes of any Canadian jurisdiction,” the paper says.
Compared to Ontario, Alberta and B.C., “Quebec has a 25-per-cent-lower gross domestic product on a per capita basis; a 16-per-cent-lower average salary, a four-percentage-point lower rate of employment; and a 17-per-cent-lower rate of productivity growth.”" Read more
Sovereignty in modern Quebec is about economics, not language, not culture.

139 comments:

  1. Sovereignty is about lack of knowledge and following your leaders over a cliff.

    It's good people are realizing that Quebec can;t be saved. The best solution is to chop it up into bits as it fractures apart. One for each of us.

    The ensuing social unrest will make the PQ happy and proud the people have absorbed the cultural lessons of the students.

    Protest for everything all the time.

    As Quebec disintegrates they won;t be able to keep it all together in one piece.

    Once people start to see more fracturing of Quebec and rising seperatist insanity, the idea of breaking Quebec up will become more and more attractive.

    It's either move out or break away from the insanity.

    Only options. PQ Quebecers arn;t capable of managing their own country or province.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. cebeuq: I've started my 30th year here in Ontario. Thank you so much for spelling out what has proven me right for three decades now...four, really, as my plan to move out manifested ten years before actually doing so. Oh, and thank you Quebec for the cheap education I then took out with me to contribute to a worthwhile society.

      Perhaps Quebec will get its all-French state, but at what cost? Don't look at me to bail you out when your Day of Reckoning comes.

      Delete
    2. Sauga, I don;t want Canada to bail out Quebec.

      Let the place revert back to agrarian economy. Wood cutters and maple syrop fantasy that "Les Quebecois" live in.

      Le Quebecois might be good at lying, manipulating and socially engineering away all anglophones and their institutions but they have proven they can;t run the place after.

      It's the duty of good Canadians not to leave Quebec until as much can be taken from the system as possible, then leave. Canada will always be a good place for anglos obviously. USA etc.

      Suck as much out of Quebec as we can before leaving empty warehouse buildings in the west island for the seppies to squat in.

      If things get close to seperation, people need to switch from trying to "save" and placate Quebec, too taking as much value(money, welfare, move business out etc) out of Quebec as possible.

      Les Quebecois have shown they are incapable of running the place or even having something basic like a functioning road network. Everything in Quebec is a re-run of our roads or the "Big O". Poorly made, corrupt companies captured the biz, goes overpriced.

      Good ethica companies cannot survive in a system where business is constantly steered to "the right kind of people". In Quebec jobs either get steered to the front of the mafia or some poorly run "we do everything in french(what are skills anyway?), incorporated 3 months ago for this contract and this is our first job".

      whatever institutions, knowledge, companies, talet etc anglo's/immigrants take with them as they leave the "separatist zones".

      Les Quebecois have shown themselves unable to build up anything to replace the outgoing.

      Imagine how much money they will have to give to Bombardier to stay. Unfortunately of course there won;t be any tax base to pay for the latest bribe to stay in Quebec.

      Quebec can;t start the next Bombardier at that point. So the cycle repeats.

      Unless Quebec can "buy the business" by subsidizing the electricity they just have no hope of finding anybody competent to move to Quebec.

      On the other hand Quebec is a great magnet for people looking for socialism. The problem is that socialists don;t create value. They only destroy it. If they even have time between gossiping at the coffee shop on their iphones and attending rally's about the evils of capitalism.

      Delete
    3. Socialism will work until the money runs out, cebeuq. Should Quebec separate, Quebec loses about $9 billion per year in equalization alone not to mention EI and other federal goodies. If Quebec acquiesces its rights to all those gobs of money, it's perfectly fine with me. No problem at all!

      Maybe then, just maybe, they'll finally figure to hell with the environment and harvest all those natural resources laying in the ground. Even then, the mining gains will be far outweighed by the losses. Again, no problem at all!

      Delete
  2. I disagree with the some of the arguments that the Editor presents above and I still believe that Quebec will not be independent in my lifetime. Statistically, I still have at least another 40 years alive.

    However, if the arguments above turn out to be correct, than it will create big fracture within Quebec society itself. Following this logic, the rise of Quebec independent sentiment will surely be followed by the rise of partition sentiment. The reason is because parts of the population see that the Quebec model does not work and that Canadian model does work. Therefore, I can see that the partition movement of this case will be much bigger than what it was in 1980 and 1995. And I dare to predict that if Quebec manage to separate, parts of Quebec will manage to get partitioned.

    PS:
    For those who will come up with "Canada is divisible but Quebec is not" argument, consider these cases from history: United States - Virginia - West Virginia and United Kingdom - Ireland - Northern Ireland.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Troy: Your PS was redundant. Partition can happen nine ways to Sunday, and even Chicken Little couldn't convince anyone the sky was falling. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool, and anyone shouting it from the rooftops à la Mario Beaulieu should be put in a straight jacket and locked up in a rubber room. Beaulieu is proof there is a downside to democracy as he hasn't been snagged and bagged yet.

      As for the rest of what you wrote, bring it on! The real Canada will be a much better off nation without Quebec constantly antagonizing the rest of us, and no longer able to mooch from the rest of us. Goodbye, good luck, good riddance.

      Delete
    2. Bang on, get lost Kebec, ASAP...

      Delete
    3. Mr Sauga, do any of the same problems you faced in Quebec effect you in Ontario? How much better are things really? I'm not questioning you. You've lived in both provinces, I haven't. I'm just trying to get some perspective on why you don't see things ever changing for the better in Quebec.

      Delete
  3. Low interest rates and Federally distributed transfer payments are really what's holding this place together. Both are set to change and the results will be catastrophic. Montreal would be well advised to seek a different path than the rest of Quebec. Any uptick in interest rates will increase Quebec's debt service payments exponentially. Quebec has been unable and unwilling to reign in spending in any serious manner for a generation. Quebec is actively pushing money and investment out of the province for political reasons. You'd be a damn fool to invest in Quebec in this political climate. Companies, money and human capital are fleeing Quebec again and taking their tax revenue with them. These are Quebec trained bilingual citizens, the kind of people we need to keep! Now is the time to save the furniture, Montreal really needs to put some space between it and Quebec City or else the city is doomed. Quebecois Nationalism not economic prosperity has been our guiding principal for the past 40 years. That has to change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EVERYBODY: BEFORE YOU START READING Lord Dorchester's editorial, sing Steam's Na-Na-Hey-Hey-Goodbye song and do so repeatedly until you fully read his editorial. The «Québécois de vieille souche» were sadly duped by their church for 200 years and are now being duped by bitter politicians who blame the minorities instead of the church that duped them previously, now for the last 40-50 years.

      I heartily ask you, dear readers to watch the following 3½-minute scene from the movie Lean on Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrzhirX9qc8

      Following Dr. Napier's (Robert Guillaume) lecture to Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman), in the next scene, a bunch of miscreant students are expelled and led out of the school by security guards as the first step in getting the school back to a properly functioning institute of learning. In the clip, at about the two-minute mark, while addressing the students in the school auditorium, Mr. Clark eloquently lays out who is responsible for the lives of the students and who should and shouldn't be blamed for making the wrong choices. I think French Quebec society could use someone like Mr. Clark to remind them of what's what. The alternative is serious consequences, and Quebec doesn't seem to want to listen. Their loss.

      Incidentally, I found the movie very inspiring, one of the most inspiring films I have ever watched, and it proved to me what a fine actor Morgan Freeman really is. He waited a long time for an Oscar, but it finally came to he who waited (long after that movie), and well earned!

      It's about a two-hour film. It can be rented through YouTube and I imagine through other sources; unfortunately, I haven't seen a full version released for free on YouTube. It is seen on TV now and then.

      Delete
    2. By AnecTOTE

      People in this province (mostly the Francophone majority) don't think any of this is their fight, speaking out against the subjugation of Rights and Freedoms is not their fight. Fighting bill 60 or especially bill 101 is not their fight. So they sit idly by not doing a damn thing while the tyrants in power play them and absurd their positions to move their personal agendas forward. They systematically control all types of information, all news from radio, tv and dailies are full of nationalist (seppie) overtones. You never everrrrrr read anything written in French news that compliments Canada in any way. My point is that...those who don't have the luxury of a second language...English...to read something else and compare...are literally screwed...and that's what the powers-that-be want. Until there isn't a collective consciousness to awake from this deep sleep of ignorance, they will introduce more of the same...bill 60.

      I am just thinking ...and Kepping thinking about one thing...if as citizens we allow government to get away with stepping on our throats by denying us our Rights and Freedoms...what is the message we send to government in general? And I am talking about ALL levels of government not just provincial. What is the message here? You can gain power and then do as you wish? Yes...the rest of you in the RoC...you think you are safe against something like this not happening to you? Perhaps it won't be a language or charter issue...it may well be something else THEY try to oppress, think about it. The take-away here is a cautionary tale folks.

      Bill 60 and the like...us everyone's fight, it doesn't just belong to the minorities living in Quebec..AND that is why leaving won't solve a damn thing. WAKE UP.

      Delete
    3. Lord Dorchester, you are bang on. People have no idea whats coming...its a disaster, housing prices will crash as interest rates rise...and if only speak french (idiots), don't try leaving the province and demand to work in french, get service in french...Leave this racist french only BS in Quebec, we will NOT tolerate this crap any longer outside Quebec...we are sick and tired of it.

      Wait till equalization is up for renewal next year...the other provinces have to demand that our money not be funneled into Quebec any longer.We are sick and tired of this have not, broke province taking our money while banning our language...

      Lets see if any politician outside Quebec will finally say enough is enough...we want our money to remain in our province.

      Take care of own problems Quebec, you created them...get lost.

      Delete
  4. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/revenue-quebec-tax-fraud-investigation-leads-to-6-arrests-1.2491684

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Quebec cultural value. Construction companies that steal.

      Don;t worry cutie, nobody will goto jail or be prevented from doing business with the govt. The govt doesn;t want to harm themselves (the construction industry).

      As long as the damage is to the general public and the the construction industry don;t flaunt the bribes and corruption it's allowed to continue.

      While they "caught" these guys for not paying their kickbacks another 50 companies are doing the same thing on the same day.

      Delete
    2. Yea, I know, everyone in quebec is on the take one way or another. No doubt about it. I hear them talking all the time about how they can screw the government and get what they can from them. Largest underground workforce in all the provinces and they work when they run out of beer and cigarette money. Anything they can scam, they do and are proud of it. Let someone else pay is their motto.

      Delete
    3. @cutie003

      "...everyone in quebec is on the take one way or another. (...) they work when they run out of beer and cigarette money. Anything they can scam, they do and are proud of it."

      that's highly racist. why are you a racist cutie003?

      Delete
    4. "...everyone in quebec is on the take one way or another. (...) they work when they run out of beer and cigarette money. Anything they can scam, they do and are proud of it."

      Its true...

      Delete
  5. Scorched earth policy towards Quebec. By the time they separate there won;t be much to argue about. Whatever is left will have not a single job or company left non govt. Quebec will be a melting pot of poor students, union construction members and sleazy politicians.

    Only leave for Canada / partition after the province is totally in economic and social ruin.

    If Quebec breaks out into Sarajevo just before the remaining anglo's/immigrants leave all the better.

    Do we still "salt the fields"? or did that stop with the Romans. Might be a good time to bring it back.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salting_the_earth

    When anglo's leave Quebec make sure that the invading Francophones can;t use anything left behind.

    Only good times ahead for Quebec.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think you're way off the deep end with this one.
    1) Sovereignty is dead. There is no credible leader willing to take on the cause. And why is it dead? because the hitherto sovereignist power brokers know they cannot survive without Canada. They have built up a generation that believes in entitlement and redistribution of wealth instead of education and self-sufficiency. If they could get away with the moral hazard of a Basic Living Stipend for all they would do it, but they know the rich (including every member of the current PQ crop and most especially the power hungry Pierre Karl Peladeau) would have no choice but to flee the province.
    2) More than 6 in 10 voters care more about the economy than any other issue. Even with all the corruption rightly dragging the Liberals through the mud in 2011, the PQ could not get enough people to trust them to form a majority government. Which leads to...
    3) The whole Charter of Values crap is designed to revitalize the PQ. It's abandoned sovereignty and is now going, fullbore, toward being a francophone-only party, and to hell with anyone who is not one of "us".
    The PQ came in third in 2007, behind Mario Dumont. THIRD. And after a decade of the corrupt Liberals and nightly demonstrations they only won a minority? Good god they are in a complete panic, and the straw they have grasped is odious, Le Pen-inspired ethnicism.
    The PQ are trying to save the furniture, and they damn well know, and have known for a decade, that sovereignty won't do it.

    They know they cannot win on the only issue that matters to most -- the economy -- and they also know that transforming themselves into a fiscally right-wing party would lead to disintegration. But since they are ALREADY losing the hardcore left-wing socialists to Quebec Solidaire (motto: we'll hold a referendum but expect most of our supporters to vote no) have decided their only option is ethnic hatred.

    Kevin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The PQ still has the support of the majority of francophones according to the latest polls. They are voting for their own self interests. Clearly, the economy and debt are not factors for the majority of francophones in Quebec.

      Delete
    2. Its all fine saying the PQ has support and all these francophones want seperation. Say it happens when Marois is at the helm. She leaves saying she's the greatest leader of the Quebec people in achieving seperation. Do you really really think she would then stick around to be blamed when the province ends up in turmoil? In addition to that, who on earth, as a leader of a new country would want to suddenly stick their neck out and try to steer Quebec into this fog of being a new country? Answer? No one. Its all fine to say you want something but the reality is, when it, or if it happens, no politican will take on the job and all the "yes" voters will complain about sudden lack of jobs, prosperity, and provincial turmoil. Talk about trying to find a captain for a sinking ship... yep i thought there would be no volunteers.

      Delete
    3. @cb

      "...yep i thought there would be no volunteers."

      you wish there'd be none. reality is different. there's many many high quality people who'd take the job tomorrow: lisée, drainville, aussant, curzi, duceppe to name a few.

      Delete
    4. Some people have very low standards.

      Delete
    5. There is not one name mentioned that isn't a lamebrain of the highest order and as soon as trouble starts, which will inevitably happen, those bums will be out of here so quick you won't see them for smoke. They're all rich and don't give a shit about anyone but themselves and the pockets they have filled with taxpayer money. These separatists live in a different reality than the rest of us. I hope that every one of them gets exactly what they deserve: No place to hide and some kind of criminal charges for the political unrest and problems they have caused all of us, especially here in quebec.

      Delete
    6. @laurie

      no. some people have different standards. i assume you like corruption prone dudes, separatists prefer proud patriots. different.

      @cutie003

      "...some kind of criminal charges for the political unrest and problems they have caused..."

      you mad bro.

      Delete
    7. I do not like the Liberals. I assume you think the PQ are as white as snow.

      And you just have low standards.

      Delete
    8. @laurie

      no i don't. it's different standards that's all. by repeating that all separatist leaders are of a low standard you justify quebec francophone's drive for independance from people like you. think about it.

      Delete
    9. Doesn't take much for you to break up a great country. The same can be said about you assessment of the Liberals. Think about it.

      I will not reply back..this is getting boring.

      Delete
    10. @laurie

      "Doesn't take much for you to break up a great country."

      it takes just enough divergences. if you think every leader i respect is a low standard lamebrain then it's probably better if we live in different countries. isn't it laurie?

      "The same can be said about you assessment of the Liberals."

      no it can't. or i don't see how, please elaborate.

      "I will not reply back."

      wuss.



      Delete
    11. @JF
      No, the majority of francophones do not support the PQ.
      Here's a poll from last month (which has flaws because it oversampled francophones).
      http://www.ledevoir.com/documents/pdf/sondage7decembre.pdf

      According to Leger 39% of francos support the PQ. 28% prefer the Libs and 21% prefer CAQ.
      So you can say more francophones prefer the PQ at the moment than prefer the Libs or the CAQ, but you cannot say the majority of francophones prefer the PQ.

      @Student
      No, I think every leader you support is a liar who twists the truth and you have been deluded, it is therefore my duty to ensure you do not fall victim to them.

      -Kevin


      Delete
    12. @kevin

      "I think every leader you support is a liar who twists the truth..."

      what truth has aussant twisted mate? when did gilles duceppe lie? it is your duty to tell me, if i am to trust you.

      Delete
    13. The Leger firm is such a professional firm that they mixed up their tables and headings on pages 7 and 8.

      Delete
    14. @student

      Mate, I can not believe that you would mention lisée, drainville, aussant, curzi and duceppe and bundle them up as "high quality people". None of these 5 clowns can even come close to the credibility that bouchard or even (pre-referendum night) parizeau had. At least Bouchard and Parizeau had clear economic understanding of what was needed to seperate. The 5 mentioned clowns could not even balance a checking account let alone lead a country. Sorry mate, when you mention names like that I can help but agree that sovereignty is dead.

      Delete
  7. A few years ago, Marois claimed that deep-sixing the economy could be viewed as a strategy to achieve sovereignty. I don't know how that didn't cause uproar....

    Mat

    ReplyDelete
  8. By AnecTOTE

    Don't you all wonder, and I mean the entire population of the province, don't you wonder that you're being played? That perhaps those who hold the reigns of power presently are up to no good but just not communicating what they are really up to? Yeah I know, what gov hasn't done that? From Municipal to Federal, but ...this one ..right now, running this province is really up to no good...this whole charter business is highly contentious and it is a means to an end...and what is that end? They are keeping something from us...their real agenda. We can speculate ...my money is on "The Money". They are playing the citizens because they are up to something...so what's behind it all? What are they really up to? The persecution of kippahs, turbans and hijabs is a pretext...an excuse...but an excuse for what?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. M.B

      Stop complaining and leave! I took the decision 3 yrs ago and have left 'La Belle Province' and now just laugh when I see the crap going on back there. The people have appointed her and now they must oust her from the throne, plain & simple!

      Delete
    2. Dear Editor, you are off base today. It begins with your flawed statement about Germany in the 30's. A "sensible...mature...nation". Really ? Read, for example, Goldenhagen's book on 'Hitler's Willing Executioners' and you may change your views. If I may adopt your metaphor, Nazism took root because the soil was fertile. Also, for a guy who does not want to be accused of invoking Godwin's Law you are going about it the wrong way.

      Quebec's economic situation is not even remotely comparable to Weimar Germany. Bad facts = bad analysis.

      If you truly believe Quebec is sliding into separation because of its economy I suggest you consider the many babblings of Parizeau, Lisee and others who try to convince us that Quebec is doing fine and the economy will be even better under the new regime. This fits with your later comment that its the economy stupid, etc. A poor economic performance = more dependence on Canada = LESS support for sovereignty by the average voter, in my humble opinion. Not to mention the salutary effect of Bill 101 on the so called inferiority complex of Quebec francophones. Remember Dr. Camille Laurin, psychiatrist, and his analysis of Quebec's psyche?

      Also, it's pretty clear today that sovereignty is very much the idea or crusade of an aging generation. Just look at their grey or bald heads staring out at you from the selfies of most of the commentators on Vigile. Parizeau will probably be pushing up daisies by 2020 with many of his fellow travellers will not be far behind. The chattering class like to talk about the Quiet Revolution as if it were an event in 1960. More bad analysis. 1960 was perhaps the beginning of a 'revolution' but not the end. The social changes which began in the late 50s early 60s are still going on and they have led to a greater appreciation of individual rights and the desirability of "civic nationalism". I love to pound the aging ethnic nationalists. But folks - jump in and pound while you can - you won't have as many targets in 2024. This is what buffalo hunting was like in 1865.

      Please put my X in the 'Don't Agree' column. 1995 was the high water mark of the separation idea. Andre Pratte has written "...we are witnessing "La Lente Agonie" of the sovereignty movement "

      I forgive your errors. After all, its Friday. Many of your recent posts have been terrific so you are entitled to a clanger now and then. Keep on blogging in the free world.

      Delete
    3. @hands off my hijab

      "an excuse for what?"

      so? have you thought about it? an excuse for what?

      of course you haven't. you prefer to spend your time fear mongering. the only valid question that your comment commands is why do you do that?

      Delete
  9. Are you sure that in this changed world of "Orwellian state thought police" the student protests were over something trivial?

    ReplyDelete
  10. "Cornwall Economy Continues to Soar in 2013"

    http://www.choosecornwall.ca/eng/news/757/57/Cornwall-Economy-Continues-to-Soar-in-2013/

    Cornwall - just an hour down the 401. When will we see headlines like this in Quebec?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Pauline Marois" Cornwall Man of the Year Award 2013-2014

      Delete
  11. Breaking News.....
    Pierre Karl Péladeau and Julie Snyder announce their separation...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol - made my night Editor - they must be just wonderful together!

      Delete
    2. And finally someone that calls the PQ what it is: lying troublemakers.

      http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/G%C3%A9rard+Bouchard+blasts+accusing+lying+distorting+issue/9373657/story.html

      Delete
    3. @Editor
      I can't say I feel sorry for Péladeau ans Snyder!

      @ Cutie
      Thanks for that link to The Gazette article. Everyone should read it.

      Here are two interesting paragraphs:

      --- In a blistering commentary published in Friday’s Le Soleil, Gérard Bouchard, co-author with Charles Taylor of the 2008 Bouchard-Taylor report, accuses the PQ government of resorting to out-and-out lies and gross distortions to promote its secularism charter now incorporated into Bill 60.

      --- He then accuses the government of looking the other way as it awakens primal xenophobic and irresponsible fears in the population; “the secret Islamic conspiracy at work in Quebec, of Muslims taking control of our society, their refusal to integrate, the notion they are invading us,” he wrote in his commentary.

      We all know that the PQ and their posse lie, we all know that they distort the truth and that they wish to “awaken primal xenophobic and irresponsible fears in the population”. If only their cult would just use their brains a little bit instead of blindly drinking any Cool-Aid they serve we would all be better off.


      Delete
    4. Can't thank you enough for sharing that delightful tidbit with us, Mr. Editor. Like Cutie 003, it makes my night, too. Actually, since they're both self-proclaimed separatists, is their marital breakdown really a form of partition?

      Delete
    5. Peladeau vs. Snyder:

      Delicious irony again.

      The separatists show us that separation is indeed in their blood. Seps simply have no loyalty or commitment to anyone.

      I guess Snyder figured she had gotten as far as she could with her marriage of convenience.

      Delete
    6. Maybe he didn't like her politics. ;-)

      Delete
    7. Maybe PKP is having an affair with Pauline.

      Delete
    8. @anonymous coward

      "The separatists show us that separation is indeed in their blood. Seps simply have no loyalty or commitment to anyone."

      stretch of the day. i trust you to top yourself tomorrow.

      Delete
  12. FROM ED
    "Language and culture aside, money or the lack thereof will push Quebecers to seek out of Canada in the misguided belief that things could be better economically outside the union."
    Sorry EDITOR; as the sole Anglo living surrounded by hard core separatists, I can tell you they all know
    exactly where the money comes from. They are uneducated and gullible but they are not stupid. Even the cave man, once he had tasted the honey wanted to know where the hive is.
    By March we will have a Liberal government and probably a majority if we get behind and suppoprt them. Comments like "the corrupt Liberal government" don't help. There has never been any corruption found in the QLP since 1960. Ed Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @ed

      "There has never been any corruption found in the QLP since 1960."

      mate this is the worst thing you can write if you wich to contribute to the qlp's resurgence.

      Delete
    2. As if, Ed. As if supporting them is going to make your Anglophone life better. Then again, at your age, why do you care one way or the other?

      Delete
    3. FROM ED
      Sauga, It does make my life better in the sme way that insults and vindictiveness make you feel better. Mine has purpose but your life must be so empty. You should have stayed where you want to be, here in Quebec, supporting the Liberal Paerty. Ed

      Delete
    4. Ed - If Quebec were an airplane, the Parti Quebecois and Liberals would be our pilot and co-pilot. They may take turns changing seats and title, but one thing remains the same--they BOTH push forward on the yoke as far as it will go and refuse to let go. Which makes one thing abundantly clear....WE'RE GOING DOWN.

      Sadly the passengers can't be bothered to look out the window, they're too busy watching the in flight movies meant to distract them (read: nonsensical language and clothing debates).

      Only the smart ones are parachuting out. :)

      Delete
    5. @Apple IIGS - Good analogy. I suppose you can order a 7-UP on this plane but you have to ask in French! :)

      Delete
    6. @theo

      what's wrong with having to ask for a 7up in french on a air-quebec flight mate?

      Delete
    7. @student

      Since Quebec is an airplane, language laws are in effect so it is obligatory to ask for a 7-UP in French only.

      Delete
    8. @theo

      there is no law in quebec that forces you to order anything in french only. the driving factor in choosing a language when ordering should be your wish to be understood.

      Delete
    9. Yep, you can order in English if you wish, but in return get an icy stare while bluntly being told "CETTE QUEBEC -- PARLE-MOI AU FRANCAIS!". Or if you're lucky, just barked back rudely in French, or ignored completely. Or just treated rudely in general, particularly even if you do speak French, but with a non-Quebecois accent.

      Plane analogies aside, this what I've personally experienced in and around Montreal. Not even about language, and it never was, it's all about what you who you were when you were born.


      Ah well, student and the rest will argue about it endlessly until the plane hits the ground and explodes. Fitting I suppose.

      Delete
    10. The Quebec airplane is like a hijacked plane that has no country to land in, as no country wants to deal with it. I think that was a movie ...

      Delete
    11. @apple iigs

      "...this what I've personally experienced in and around Montreal."

      really? strange that it has never happened to the editor in forty years of travels around the whole province. are you implying he's a liar, or are you implying you're some kind of an asshole and that's why honest people treat you rudely?

      Delete
  13. B.R
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Quebec businesses cut off from service in English
    http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/01/10/exclusive-quebec-businesses-cut-off-from-service-in-english

    Loll

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Canada can do the same thing to Kebek businesses: make welfare checks English only.
      LOL

      Delete
    2. lolllllllllllllllllllllll

      Delete
  14. By AnecTOTE

    http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Letter+Kudos+EMSB+denouncing+Bill/9372029/story.html

    Last sentence of this letter resonates with what we've been saying all along...that silent majority can't be silent no more! Time to speak up!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i agree, cause in the mean time you have it say a load of crap mate. but even if it speaks up, won't you be capable of inventing another one to back you up?

      Delete
  15. http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/01/10/longtime-montreal-area-book-and-magazine-distributor-closing

    Quebec doesn;t need 200 jobs. Company probably employed more then the allowed token anglo/immigrant or two. did somebody investigate if the owner is "ethnic" wink wink?

    We don;t need jobs like that in Quebec.

    Have no fear, all the the good francophones with proper last names will get picked up on the public payroll by the STM. Rest can join the construction unions.

    Jobs are created as simple as that.

    If only the govt had managed to pass the book selling minimum price law. The extra regulations will hire at least 3 lawyers and 2 accountants full time across the province. They could have saved an industry also.

    More regulations are the only way to improve anything. Les Quebecois understand that. Wy was the govt so selfish to not to debate and pass a book protection law in 1 day?

    Is that not right and normal in a social society that values education in a minority francophone context within a sea of majorities?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Benjamin Press must be distributing magazines in the evil English language. That, of course, has to stop. :)

      Delete
    2. @theo

      you assume both that the company distributes english stuff and that anyone has ever thought the english language was evil. i know you're trying to be funny, but still, you've got too much speculation in there.

      Delete
    3. @student - I added a smiley face disclaimer but still you criticize what I wrote. You need to mellow out, dude.

      Delete
    4. @theo

      jokes can't be criticized?!? why?

      Delete
    5. @student - Have you tried yoga and meditation? I hear that's pretty relaxing.

      Delete
  16. I moved only 6km onto Ontario and let me tell you that the grass is greener on the other side. didn't even read this, makes me sick. the FED govern. is useless.

    ReplyDelete
  17. And for your listening pleasure:

    http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/3033122479001

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have been saying exactly what the editor said for years. It will be when the economy crashes that sovereignty takes off. They need people in misery to get the numbers over 50 percent..high unemployment and so on..people are dumb enough to believe that seperation will improve things. History has shown this over and over..Greeks are turning towards more radical political parties and many blame Germnay for all their problems when it was a made in Greece issue. The same will happen here..the rest of Canada will be blamed for a made in Quebec problem.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. not likely. support doesn't reach 50% right now because many francophones think quebec's economy is not strong enough. all the clueless old schnocks that receive their only income from ottawa don't want to risk that. many more think quebec would go bankrupt if equalization stops, not realizing all the taxes they send to ottawa would remain in quebec. many radio-jambon followers believe duhaime-marcotte's bullshit and are convinced independant quebec is greece. these various categories represent your 50% of francophone no votes. a quebec economic collapse, although not likely, will not turn these guys into separatists. instead i think they will be even more convinced of their own inadequacies. you need pride to vote yes, a recession does not provide this value.

      on the contrary, if quebec goes well, if it gets out of its deficit and if one day it stops relying on equalization, all this feeble mass may recover and understand they're as good, if not better, than anyone. and independance support will go through the roof.

      you proud canadians living in quebec are so screwed. you have to hope for the worst for your own economic ambiance in order for quebec to remain a canadian province. not rosy isn't it? i'm sorry.

      Delete
    2. Your "pride" is all that keeps the stupid movement afloat - take away that you have absolutely nothing. Pretty hard to eat pride - it doesn't taste all that good and it sure as hell isn't very filling. Only when you idiots are starving will you smarten up - then we'll see what good "pride" does you. We are the envy of the world in this country - it's only your ghetto of quebec that cannot see what the hell is around you. Stupid people.

      Delete
    3. http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/01/20140111-124715.html - on the charter.

      Delete
    4. No need to argue with Student on this one, Cutie.

      She's given us a clear admission that the federalists are right.

      She admits that Quebec's economy is shit (thanks for telling us what we already know).

      Once again she barfs up the old crap that Quebec somehow (no proof of course) pays more to Ottawa than it gets out. Yet, in the very same comment she fully admits that Quebec is totally dependent on equalization.

      She also admits that the PQ's ploy to economically cripple the province to get "yes" votes won't work.

      She even admits (like so many other frustrated little seps) that the majority of the "yes" vote just doesn't have the testicular fortitude to vote Oui.

      Point is Cutie, she's done a fine job of digging her own grave, and even tucking herself into her eternal bed.

      With enemies like these, we have no reason to fight. They'll defeat themselves for us and then lay out the golden carpet to boot.

      Delete
    5. The BS that these people spew gets to me once in awhile because of the harm they do to the goodwill that Canada once had towards them. They kill this on a daily basis, taking us all down to the sewer with them. Thank God for social networking that lets the people in North America see just how sick this society is.

      Anyway, let's see how Miss Piggy handles this one - lol

      http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/01/11/mayor-coderre-reveals-what-hell-tell-values-charter-hearings

      Delete
    6. Christina Looker

      My husband and I moved to BC a few months ago and it's working out great! I am now working on convincing my friends to make the jump too!

      Delete
    7. Did you have to sell your house Christina?

      Delete
    8. @cutie003

      how much could you sell your house for cutie003? what's its market value?

      Delete
    9. @anonymous coward

      you're drifting away, here take my hand and come back towards relevance.

      my point was that an economic downturn in quebec would hurt independance support, whereas an upturn would help it. complicated thinks otherwise. what's your very humble opinion mate?

      Delete
    10. I've posted this in the past, but it's always lost on seppies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_mentality

      This is for all seps who look at their fellow Quebeckers (be they Anglo or Franco) who choose to leave la Belle Pro for greener pastures - "osti d'vendu!" "crisse d'Elvis Gratton!"

      TRANSLATION:

      "How dare you look out for your welfare and future as well as protect the interests of your family?"

      Delete
    11. @anonymous coward

      who are you responding to mate? this last comment of yours has nothing to do with anything that followed complicated's initial contribution. are you lost?

      Delete
    12. They say "lobsters thrown into boiling water"

      But then reality is, crabs in a bucket.

      Delete
    13. More against the charter:

      http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/01/11/quebec-federation-of-women-goes-public-against-bill-60

      Delete
    14. Charte des valeurs
      Lisée évoque la fin du multiculturalisme canadien

      http://tvanouvelles.ca/lcn/infos/national/archives/2014/01/20140110-163407.html?fb_action_ids=10151993676953411&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B1439742936255166%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.recommends%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

      Delete
    15. I agree that if the economic is good, support for Kebek independence will increase. But the economic will never be good with such close-minded, union-ridden, racist society. Like someone said, the problem with Kebek is that they have too many Kebekois. LOL!

      Delete
    16. student -
      You have it totally backwards. Quebec economy is crap because of the total mismanagement of the provincial government over the past 40 years despite receiving billions and billions of dollars in equalizartion from the rest of Canada.

      You actually believe the misinformation from the PQ..we send 50 billion to ottawa but forget about the 65 billion that comes back to Quebec. Explain to me how Quebec will be better off with 15 billion dollars less per year..an exodus of most of the wealth if seperation happens..and a hostile Canada and USA which will go out of their way to not do business with Quebec. Good luck with a prosperous Quebec student.

      It blows me away that a universiry educated person like yourself is so clueless when it comes to basic mathematics and basic economics. On the orther hand its already clear that having the highest university students per capita does not equate with a strong economy. Maybe you should step into the real world and see how things really work.

      Seperation will rise when the economy really collapses because when people get deseperate they get angry and they will look for someone to blame. And instead of blaming the responsible people..ie the Quebec government they will blame Canada. And lets be clear also..the Quebec government was really following the wishes of the unrerasonable unions, students and miltants who think its their right to have good jobs for life, cheap tuition, cheap daycare and so on. So in the end many Quebecois can look at themselves in the mirrow for the economic problems they have now and will have.

      And by the way, was in France recently and their economy is a total disaster. And its exactly the leftist socialist policies and uinreasonable expectations of the french people that have caused this. 25 percent of french university students are planning to leave their country for work. We are following exactly in the footsteps of France and eventually will end up with the same problems.

      Delete
    17. You're talking to a brain-washed, "the ROC owes me a living" separatist complicated who would rather eat shit than admit they're wrong about anything. In the end, that is what they will eat. Pride goeth before a fall. This province is totally damned unless some of the voters smarten up and God only knows when that will happen - before or after the fatality but it will happen. None of us on this blog will be alive to see the end of this mess should they leave Canada - at least 100 years of legal problems and possible civil war. All for the sake of a war that was fought 200 years ago - talk about stupid!

      Delete
    18. @complicated

      do you agree that as the economy gets better, soft nationalists that believe quebec can't thrive on its own will change their mind? if you do, like you should, then it seems to be win win for separatists, either way the economy goes, separation will occur. is this what you think?

      @cutie003

      " All for the sake of a war that was fought 200 years ago..."

      there is no expiry date on freedom mate.

      Delete
    19. "there is no expiry date on freedom mate."

      Quebec mostly operates as an autonomous jurisdiction already. All the separatists want is greater freedom to violate and strip away the rights of others.

      Delete
  19. FROM ED
    When people that move start encouraging others to do the same they don't comsider that everyone's lifestyle is not the same. To those who see their life only as to how much their house is worth it is strictly economical. Mot of us however have feelings that are deeply ingrained in our homeland. We've raised our familioes here and having invested our ives in our children we like to reap the rewards of living clost to our graandchildrten. My son has a high job in a large meat packing fecility. He oversees the shipping of thirty trucks to 2600 stores in Quebec. It has tyaken more than two decades to get there and he is not about to walk away from that. Incidentally he is the only Anglo in the company. Many of us stay to prove that Quebec will recuperate and to jhelp it do so. As Federalists we say, "O Canada, We stand on guard for Thee. " here in Quebec. Ed

    ReplyDelete
  20. Just a thought; Belgium is similar to Canada in the sense that it is two languages, two groups of people who despise each other, two groups of people who have no idea what is happening on the other side....I could go on and on like this so I'll end it here. Bruxelles is on the Dutch (sorry, Flemish) side of the country but, it is designated a bilingual city and I'm sure it has other special powers. Why can't some Montreal politico get the ball running to have Montreal, the economic motor of the province, designated some sort of special zone? Is that even possible? Just an idea.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But it Belgium, it makes sense because the richer part wants to separate. Here, the Frenchies while having the same crappy economic as Belgium Frenchies, they still want to separate? Maybe because they receive Canada money for too long that they forgot who pay for their welfare checks?

      Delete
    2. @Mr. Marco: - there are movements underway to make Montreal bilingual and/or a special designated "language free" zone in quebec. You will find FB helpful to join any of these movements.

      Delete
    3. B.R

      @Cutie003

      And Bill 101 will be applicable to the rest of Quebec, where it is really needed.

      Good luck!

      Delete
  21. Posted on FB - shows where we stand in quebec:

    "Many people here seem to be extremely upset about English services being cut off from businesses. This is obviously a ridiculous and horrible idea. But people are forgetting one important thing: the Liberals and NOT the PQ started this. I think it is important to blame the right people here. Many people who are angered by this most likely voted liberal and will continue to do so regardless. How can any major change be expected if people continue to be in denial?"

    ReplyDelete
  22. Quebec's Latest Stand

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/11/opinion/quebecs-last-stand.html?_r=5

    ReplyDelete
  23. FROM ED
    Premier Robert Bourassa brought in BILL 22 to appease the French and settle the FLQ's threats at more violence. It made French an official language which was entirely proper and appreciated by all of us at the time.
    he Charter of the French Language (French: La charte de la langue française), also known as Bill 101 (Loi 101), is a law in the province of Quebec in Canada defining French, the language of the majority of the population, as the official language of Quebec and framing fundamental language rights. It is the central legislative piece in Quebec's language policy.+t under the first Parti Québécois government of Premier René Lévesque, it was passed by the National Assembly, and granted Royal Assent by Lieutenant Governor Hugues Lapointe on August 26, 1977.
    The Lioberals have never done anything to cut people off from businesses. This is an outright lie but Cutie would post anything if she thinks it opposes whatever I write. Ed

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Again, you just refuse to see the liberals for what they are - an extension of the PQ and of the majority beating on the heads of the minorities all the time. That you see Bill 101 as justified, says a lot about how you think - in other words, it's OK to remove rights and freedoms from the minorities to suit the bullies that demand it. It's no wonder this province is in trouble - give the bullies what they want attitude from our own population.

      Read when this latest assault took place ED - 2011 - when CHAREST WAS IN POWER - not the PQ. You are the most stubborn man in the world - it because of people like yourself that we can't get an HONEST FEDERALIST party up and running in this stupid province.

      http://phylliscartersjournal.blogspot.ca/2014/01/quebec-businesses-cut-off-from-service.html

      Delete
    2. @cutie003

      "Again, you just refuse to see the liberals for what they are..."

      do you still have hope for our mate ed? or do you think he's wasted?

      Delete
    3. FROM ED
      Poor Cutier, You are so blinded by your hatred of separatists you see evrything black. The clip you posted says the government tried to cut people off from business. An absolute lie. The Levesque government made French the only language to do business with the government. Charest is saying to do business with the government they must communicate in French. Well duh!
      What you refuse to see is that a Liberal government is our only out right now. NO OTHER PARTY HAS A CHANCE TO BEAT THE PQ What does it take for you to understand that you are working toward another win for the Party that yhou hate? You arte the author of your own demise. Read the description of Madame Desfarges in 'Tale of Two Cities' You, like her are letting hatred control your thoughts.
      I feel sorry for your unhappiness but I will continue to work towards saving my home land. I suggest you reythink about moving. You say you can't move because you can't get a secent price for your house. Think about this. Even if you do get what you want, will it be enough to settle in another province? Houses there are much more expensive than Quebec. Please stay here and wait for the coming election. Give the Liberals a chance and judge them after they are in office, not on what others have done in the past. Ed.

      Delete
    4. Jesus Ed I'm going to say it one last frigging time: I will have to vote for the liberals because there is no OTHER CHOICE but stop trying to paint them as saviours - they are far from it. You just keep insisting that they are going to change things - nothing will change under their rule except they won't be as abrasive or as quick to remove more rights but you can be sure they are not going to save us from one damn thing. THERE IS NO CANADIAN PARTY IN QUEBEC TO VOTE FOR AT THE PRESENT TIME!

      Delete
  24. Would Prosperity push Quebecers to vote for sovereignty?

    This is a really good question as we have never really been much better off than the rest of Canada.

    I personally believe that the best hope for the separatists to win is to have economic oblivion. Why?

    Assuming Quebec suddenly became a much richer province, well above the Canadian average, it would have happened for one of the following two reasons:

    1. A farmer in Drummondville discovers there is a 1-trillion barrel free-flowing light crude oil reservoir underneath his potato crop
    2. Quebecers as a whole suddenly become 35% more productive than their Canadian neighbours.

    1. Would be like winning the lottery so not likely. Therefore let's focus on point 2.

    In 2012, the Gross Domestic Product per capita for the Rest-of Canada was $54,504. For Quebec it was $44,428, putting the ROC average 22.7% higher. In order for Quebec to really become prosperous, the GDP per capita would have to be significantly higher than the ROC average, perhaps in the $60,000 range, or 35% higher than where it is now.

    For Quebec to raise its GDP per capita by 35%, many thing would need to happen - Quebecers would need to be 35% more productive, or produce 35% more. It could come from working 35% more hours and creating 35% more output, or it could come from working in more added-value fields where wages are 35% higher. Or some combination of both.

    Since government workers generally produce nothing, the burden would need to be borne by the private sector where actual goods and services are produced. Therefore the private sector would need to be significantly more productive, perhaps 45%, or the public sector would need to shrink significantly.

    If Quebecers wanted to produce more goods, they would need to chase new markets outside of the province. New relationships would need to be developed as well as new export channels. Our people would need to speak at least another language than French, probably English as you would get the most for your money, in order to chase these new buyers.

    To encourage investment in Quebec we would need to attract outside investment. We would need to have a more tax-friendly regime and less bureaucracy. We would also need to ask our unionized workers to be more flexible and more cooperative. We would also need more skilled labour, either form inside Quebec or outside. We would need to relax bill 101 to lower the cost of doing business here vs Ontario. To encourage our existing investors to invest more, all of the above would also apply.

    To have more productive workers, we would need to get more people through both technical school and professional university programs such as Engineering, Science and Business, and not general degrees like Sociology.

    To do all of the above, Quebecers would need to go in the following direction:
    Cut government bureaucracy
    Reduce the number of people in government
    Lower personal tax rates
    Lower payroll taxes
    Significantly reduce the power of unions
    Teach people to speak English and possibly another language
    Bring the high school dropout rate to zero or near zero
    Base the immigration policy on capacity to obtain a highly skilled job

    Once all of the above are done Quebec will be a very competitive and prosperous province. One so prosperous that hundreds of thousands of English Canadians and outside immigrants would move here.

    A prosperous Quebec would be filled with intelligent, hard-working, bilingual people all opened to the world where the word "Wealth" would not be in the same category as "Tabernacle". It would also be a place where no one would dare to want to change the formula.

    Therefore the only hope for a yes win is to keep Quebec poor and where politicians point the finger at Canada and les méchants anglais as the root cause.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @mtl1973

      "Therefore the only hope for a yes win is to keep Quebec poor..."

      really? but you realize the reason that prevents most french canadians of voting yes is doubts about quebec's economic potential? i have to assume here that in your humble opinion most of these people will change their minds if they become wealthier than other canadians (following your hypothetical scenario)? they will feel canadian all of a sudden? not likely. why would they stop longing for freedom when this last doubt about their quality fades away? take for example flemish and catalogna people: richer than the rest of their country and separatist. why would it be different in quebec?

      also, think about it, lpq would not have been so diligent at wrecking quebec's economy if this was the way to boosting the yes vote. quite the opposite actually.

      Delete
    2. Since student has finally put together a mostly objective and reasonable response, I will, on a exceptional basis, respond.

      The reason I have come to the conclusion that prosperity works against support for separation is based on the following:

      I work with hundreds of Francophones from all regions of Quebec (even Ontario on occasion). Of those who are managers or very successful sales people earning top 1% salaries, all of them, no exception, laugh at the separatists. They'll have no issue telling you they are Quebecers, but they don't buy into the separation story. Some of them have even been separatists in the past and have told me that once they worked overseas, learned English or Spanish and started seeing the outside world, they dumped the separatists cause.

      Of the Francophones I work with who lean to the separatist side, they tend to be disgruntled workers, unilingual or very poor English speakers (and very poor French too), solely vacation in Quebec, and have been in the same position for many years. Therefore I would call these people "non-ambitious" and would certainly not contribute towards increasing Quebec's GDP per capita by 35%.

      Based on the above, I would say it's a safe bet that ambitious people, those who would contribute to the 35% increase in Quebec's GDP, are not separatists. So if Quebec became prosperous, it would be thanks to the non-separatists.

      Putting all this aside, there is another issue that must be looked at - demographics. Let's be honest with each other, separation is a Quebecois thing. Zero percent Anglophones will vote yes at the next hypothetical referendum , while 3-5% of allophones will vote yes, if that, following this charter of nonsense debate.
      Quebec's population stands at a little over 8 million, with 78% being de-souche Quebecers. That's about 6 1/4 million people with potential to vote yes. This number is diminishing every year simply because de-souche Quebecers are not having sufficient children. To put it in perspective, Quebec would need to produce 100,000 children per year, assuming an 80-year life expectancy, just to maintain its population. This assumes no one leaves the province. I don't have any scientific data to back my statement, but I am willing to risk my personal reputation that de-souche Quebecers do not produce 100,000 children per year. I would guess it's more in the 40,000-50,000 range, which means 3.2M to 4.0M de-souche Quebecers long-term. As I stated before, a prosperous Quebec would attract people, including many English Canadians and immigrants, who are not the clientele of the separatist clause. By the time Quebec would become prosperous, it would be a generation. Believe me, we have been talking about this for more than a generation and I have yet to see the results. So by the time the province is prosperous, the de-souche population at 4M on a total potential population of 9-10M, would put potential yes voters at 40-45% of the population. So even if 100% of de-souche Quebecers voted yes, the answer would still be no.

      So as I have stated before, the best way to get to a yes vote is to keep the population poor (as well as unilingual, uneducated and untraveled). Poverty makes Anglophones, allophones and ambitious de-souche Quebecers leave the province, thus reducing the number of no voters.

      Delete
    3. I'll throw in one last comment for Student while on the subject.

      Have you ever asked yourself why Anglohones and immigrants are so turned off by Quebec separation? Why they categorically vote no in a statistically significant fashion? Here's a hint:

      Separation is promoted by a socialist left-wing party with a nationalist, ethnic and linguistic cause. The separation project has already scared away thousands of businesses from Quebec and Montreal has already lost its status as Canada's largest city as a result (Bank of Montreal was actually headquartered in Montreal at one time). If Separation were to materialize, it would be lead by xenophobic socialists who would seek out revenge on the remaining Anglophone population through toughened language laws and would simultaneously destroy the economy . If Quebec were to become prosperous, meaning unions, large government, high taxes and bill 101 all went way, then even I, a non-separatist, would have no fear of living in a separate Quebec. If you haven't already figured this out, François Legault's plan is exactly to do this - create prosperity in Quebec and once we're there - hold a referendum. If this is your plan, I guess you know who to vote for next time around.

      Delete
    4. @mtl1973

      "...but they don't buy into the separation story."

      i know, but this is because they are not confident enough of their own collective strenght. these people are nationalists, they are quebeckers at heart and canadians on passport. yes i believe all your gdp boosters will turn separatist when quebec becomes even more prosperous. hey, even you says you'd be fine with the idea, so imagine the mindset of de souche francophones if ever quebec's economy tops alberta's. i can't understand why our views don't jive here mate.

      i agree that if de souche francophones breeded more it would raise their chances of winning the next referendum.

      "Have you ever asked yourself why Anglohones and immigrants are so turned off by Quebec separation? Why they categorically vote no in a statistically significant fashion?"

      i think it's because they feel canadian.

      "Separation is promoted by a socialist left-wing party with a nationalist, ethnic and linguistic cause."

      the nationalism is normal, the ethnic cause i don't think it applies and the linguistic cause i think is worthy. and you shouldn't be bothered by what you percieve is a pq left-wing bias. after independance you'll have left vs right anyways. a much healthier debate than what we have right now. whether independance comes from the left or the right is irrelevant.

      "it would be lead by xenophobic socialists who would seek out revenge..."

      today's leading separatists are beyond this. you kinda got stuck behind mate.

      "...even I, a non-separatist, would have no fear of living in a separate Quebec."

      cool. i like your attitude. (hey cutie003 check this out mtl1973 is a separatist!)

      "François Legault's plan is exactly to do this - create prosperity in Quebec and once we're there - hold a referendum."

      it's not a bad plan at all. where he's wrong is it would be easier to create all sorts of things in quebec with full control over its laws and fiscal potential and the possibility to deal with other countries directly. in other words if independance is good for quebec in ten years, it means it would be good today as well.

      Delete
    5. I am sorry to tell you this Student, but you are dreaming. Separatists are a bunch of entitled, xenophobic, and for the most part, uneducated people with little to no ambition. They are not going to bring Quebec to the promised land. They expect everything for free and have disdain for those who are supporting them at the moment. Cutie, although cranky in many of her responses, needs to be respected. She is saying it like it is. I can understand where you are coming from because I talk about it with people I work with, but even those on the yes side of the fence do acknowledge it's a lost cause for the same reasons I have mentioned above.

      Keep your comments objective and people will respond to you appropriately. I am convinced you have some very intelligent things to bring forward for discussion.

      Delete
    6. FROM ED
      MTL, You have made the situation absolutely clear. You jhave a talent for defining a situation and explaining it in words people can undersstand. These things may never be accomplished in our times but there some that can be easily done. To bring investment into nQuebecv needs only for investors to hear that separatioon is dead. A new government can do this right away. I think about how somw countries revived their economy after a warr going from nothing to good living in a short time. I would not expect Franco workers to prosuce this ikind of energy but we, the English don't need them. Let them sit on their arses we built this province without them before and we can do it again.
      Student and Francois Legault do not want to accept the trurth that as long as separation is in the offing nothing new will happen. Why do they think our best companies left QAuebec starting i the seventies. Do they think that investors remembering that would want to come here. Investors were coming here still under a Liberal government which showed rtheir trust in Charest. Unfortunately we didn't. Ed

      Delete
    7. @mtl1973

      "Separatists are a bunch of entitled, xenophobic, and for the most part, uneducated people with little to no ambition."

      that's ridiculous. but your intention is clear, you're just a bit clumsy and telling much more about yourself than about separatists in the process. would xenophobic people elect michel adrien, a black, as mayor of a "hinterland" capital, mont-laurier? no. would people with no ambition take on the task of building a new country? no. as for uneducated, the pq, quebec solidaire and option nationale, the separatist parties, had the biggest proportions of university graduates amongst their roster. least educated bunch was the liberals.

      "They (separatists) expect everything for free..."

      no true. actualy i don't think anyone but the queen and her crowd expects this.

      "Cutie, although cranky in many of her responses, needs to be respected. She is saying it like it is."

      haha. up there she says this about the quebec population "they work when they run out of beer and cigarette money". is this "like it is", mate? if you say yes you paint yourself as a freak angryphone in the tiniest corner of the room. if you say no then you may want to review your notion of "respect", or stop respecting serial smearers.

      "...even those on the yes side of the fence do acknowledge it's a lost cause..."

      how can it be a lost cause when you regularly get polls that put support at 40% with most of the no vote being francophones worried about the economy? get rid of that fear and you will easily get 70%.

      "Keep your comments objective..."

      ok i'll keep doing it. do it too mate and lose the easy accusations. then we'll be talking.

      "I am convinced you have some very intelligent things to bring forward for discussion."

      thanks mate.

      Delete
    8. @mtl1973

      Well done.

      Student's posts are getting longer and longer, which is a sign she is desperately grasping at straws.

      She knows you (and we're) right.

      Must be a scary time to be a sep right now.

      The Bloc is leaderless and now down to four members.

      The PQ's charte des voyous is getting shot down by multiple separatists.

      Also, the PQ can't even muster 32% of the vote.

      Support for sovereignty is down to about 30%.

      Delete
    9. "the nationalism is normal,"

      It is normal only if by normal you mean "widespread". But any disease can be widespread.

      Delete
  25. As you can see Mtl - makes sense to everyone but the bums that believe that the government should support them and their lifestyle without having to do a lick of work. France, here we come - just like them. France is a disaster and we will follow them like lemmings over the cliff with the "socialist" scumbags we have that thrive here. How sad they do not see their own demise staring them in the face and all over 20B dollars that the ROC is kind enough to give these bums while they spit in their face. They cannot even imagine the turmoil they will face - they treat the country like it is some kind of country club that caters to it's members.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @cutie003

      "...makes sense to everyone but the bums that believe that the government should support them and their lifestyle without having to do a lick of work."

      strawman. nobody believes this. it's your nightmare mate. i wish you wake up someday. or keep buzzing but stop posting garbage on my favourite blog.

      Delete
  26. New video from Michel David:

    in English:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2rxALWp64g&feature=em-uploademail

    in French:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF--rOnMx98&feature=em-uploademail

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. eh should look like this instead,

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2rxALWp64g

      I copied the end by accident. Deleting everything after "&feature" will make the link work if it currently doesn't for you.

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  27. Rant - Montreal, The land of no opportunities, a city the world forgot

    http://www.ixdaily.com/grind/4685146e388222f3c65ba1eca674e86555a65395/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "" I once had a police officer start writing me a ticket for J-walking, then when I switched back to speaking French he said, "Oh, I thought you were only English, just don't do it in front of an officer again." He literally was going to fine me until he found out I could speak French.""

      Pretty much summarizes Les Quebecois thinking right there. Small minded, petty, vindictive people.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_mentality


      Delete
    2. @ Cebeuq: That same passage mortified me. It's the linguistic equivalent of a cop arresting someone for "Driving While Black." Giving someone a ticket because "I thought you were only English" is far beyond simple bigotry; it's approaching "depraved."

      Delete
    3. Sad but no longer surprising. The true bigots that live here are now rising to the surface because it's all sanctioned by this hateful government.

      Delete
  28. B.R

    We need this charter!

    York University in Canada has ruled that a male student is justified in refusing to attend classes because sitting with women is against his religion. Two women of Muslim background talk to Tarek Fatah on NewsTalk1010 Radio

    https://soundcloud.com/tarekfatah/kiran-opal-sanam-malik-on-cfrb?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And exactly how would this charter help this student from being a pain in the ass? The teacher was right and the university wrong. Simple. These things can be handled without there being a charter telling people what to wear.

      Delete
    2. Maria A.

      The Charter will pass Cutie, most Quebecers support it--just look at the polls including some anglophones and allophones.

      Delete
    3. All I can say Maria is it's going to separate the wheat from the chaff - what organizations will support it and which ones will not. I hope they are ready for even more problems in this province; the way we are headed and the division created by these bills and charters will give us a true picture of where this place should be partitioned. Can't happen soon enough to suit me. Maybe it will finally give us a true federalist provincial party or a party devoted only to negotiate the partition of the province - either one suits me and because I'm not directly affected by the charter, although anglophone, the charter does not personally affect me but will create even more tension than we already live with. Sad course this province is on where no one matters but the pur lain francophone population.

      Delete
  29. The proud tradition of Quebec corruption culture continues: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-affaires-criminelles/faits-divers/201401/13/01-4728182-la-40-ouest-fermee-apres-la-chute-dun-morceau-de-beton.php

    I've known some of the lazy super-unionized scammers who work on these projects (including the Big O) and I'll tell you right now, they actually laugh about the ways they scam the system with this kind of sub-par work.

    Sometimes makes me wonder if the Charbonneau commission will succeed in nailing corrupt outfits like the FTQ.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmmm....looks like I answered my own question: http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/dossiers/commission-charbonneau/201401/13/01-4728038-accurso-avait-une-entree-directe-a-la-solim-selon-guy-gionet.php

      I can't wait to hear the separatists crow about this. A major separatist organization (the FTQ) has been (once again) outed as a major contributor to corruption.

      Delete
    2. It's cultural.

      The only part Quebec is interested in is cracking down on the press and the media coverage of it.

      If Quebec didn;t allow this to happen 50% of the construction workers woudn;t have jobs.

      The only goal is to get the Italians out of the process. The FTQ isn;t supposed to change otherwise.

      How could Quebec find more jobs for useless lazy union members if they don;t allow that to continue?

      This is the "Quebec model" to run an economy.

      Delete
  30. Yes, it is cultural and just heard on the news that yet another piece of concrete came crashing down in Montreal but don't know yet if the driver of the car was hurt. Unfortunately they may even be killing people that vote for them with their shoddy work and lack of ethics. What a place. They should be just crowing with pride at this point. This kind of thing is happening more and more often and no one knows who the victims will be. The FTQ is guilty as hell of participating in this kind of construction work and pocketing the skimmed money.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm also starting to think it's time to bring on another referendum and that IT BE DECLARED THE LAST ONE FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS. The federal government is going to have to make it clear that if it doesn't past muster this time ie in accordance with the Clarity Act, then no negotiations will take place with quebec even if they hold a forth one for at least that length of time. Maybe when this one does not garner the support of the quebec population, they will move on with their lives! The worst that can happen is they get a 50+1 in the regions but the districts that vote to remain Canadian will be supported by the ROC and the federal government and we let those areas leave that want to go with a handshake and kiss off. 40 years of this BS has killed the economy and goodwill of the people of quebec - time for the ones to leave that want to go!

      Delete
  31. B.R

    Jason Kenney slams ‘xenophobic’ David Suzuki after environmentalist claims Canada is ‘full’

    http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/07/11/jason-kenney-slams-xenophobic-david-suzuki-after-environmentalist-claims-canada-is-full/

    Loll

    ReplyDelete