For decades now Canadian politics has been faced with the issue of Quebec's independence, the province of Quebec
October 02, 2007 Naveen Kashyap
Quebec
Should it stay or should it go?
For decades now Canadian politics has been faced with the issue of Quebec's independence, the province of Quebec has wanted to leave Canada to become a country of its own. Canadian history has debated whether or not Quebec should stay or go? Certain Quebec leaders and citizens main goal is to preserve and protect their culture and language, in order to do so they must form their own government. Quebec does not truly feel "a sense of belonging to the entity called Canada; and it is unlikely they ever will."i They believe they are a distinct society that the French people are a shrinking minority in an English speaking nation, and they do not feel they have a strong political voice in their own province.
In a way Quebec is already like a separate country from the rest of Canada, it has a distinct society because of its unique French culture, its language and its history. To the Quebeckers these aspects characterize their province to be a unique province which the rest of Canada should "recognize as a distinct society."ii However in spite of these differences Quebec is actually quite similar to the rest of Canada. In Quebec as in the rest of Canada there are many other cultures, like the Inuit and the Cree Indians in the north, the fact that Montreal is one of the most multicultural cities in Canada. Montreal's population consists of East Indians, Chinese, Jewish, German, Italian and the list goes on. There are also people of mixed heritage living in Quebec; the rest of Canada prides itself on this very multiethnic feature. Furthermore, in Quebec there is still crime, environmental issues, children who play hockey as much as the rest of Canada, politicians who take advantage of the common citizen and people who pray to god for a peaceful world. These similarities are reflective of the rest of Canada.
The official language of government, courts, and businesses in Quebec is French (all shop signs have French twice as large as English) and this fact of having a distinct language is the backbone for debating for independence, "Francophone Quebecois identify Quebec as their nation and Canada as their state, while English speaking Canadians identify Canada both as their nation and as their state."iii The debate in relation to having a distinct language is not a strong argument because other provinces also speak French like, New Brunswick and Northern Ontario, and Manitoba. Moreover French is not the only language ...
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The official language of government, courts, and businesses in Quebec is French (all shop signs have French twice as large as English) and this fact of having a distinct language is the backbone for debating for independence, "Francophone Quebecois identify Quebec as their nation and Canada as their state, while English speaking Canadians identify Canada both as their nation and as their state."iii The debate in relation to having a distinct language is not a strong argument because other provinces also speak French like, New Brunswick and Northern Ontario, and Manitoba. Moreover French is not the only language in Canada that is spoken primarily in certain areas. Cape Breton Island speaks Scottish Gaelic, and many Canadians first language is not English or French: some form of native Canadian language or Inuit, Spanish, Punjabi, Hindi, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, Arabic and other European languages. One could argue why don't the Cree and Inuit nations who where in Quebec long before the French gain independence. If anyone one should be asking for independence it should be these groups.
Although, the French language is preserved in Quebec, unfortunately the population of French Quebeckers and the overall Quebec population is decreasing due to the restrictions of immigration. Presently The Canada-Quebec Accord gives Quebec the responsibility for selection, and integration of immigrants to Quebec. "Canada commits itself not to admit any independent immigrant or refugee into Quebec who does not meet Quebec's selection criteria."iv
As a result the French speaking people in Quebec are a shrinking minority in an English speaking nation. Moreover, if Quebec becomes its own country and decides to put even stricter laws on immigration in order to protect and maintain their language and culture, the population of Quebec will reduce dramatically. In turn this will cause Quebec's economy to nosedive due to "foreign investors pulling out of Quebec because of fear of economic /political instability."v A solution to Quebec's francophone shrinking minority is to lessen their restrictions on immigration or base their immigration policies on the rest of the Canadian immigration policies that all the other provinces abide to.
Historically, the Quebecers have had less powerful political positions federally and provincially and because of this the Quebec government believed that they should be "masters in their own house"vi- Maîtres chez nous. As the Francophones felt that the Anglophones held more power in politics and businesses a small number of extremist Quebecers, who were called the FLQ, chose violence as a means to bring about independence. In the 1970's the FLQ bombed English districts in Quebec, and kidnapped and murdered important Quebecois politicians, such as Pierre Laporte, who was kidnapped and found dead in a trunk of a car. The Government of Canada allowed the FLQ's manifesto to be broadcasted publicly, in order to buy the police more time to locate the FLQ kidnappers. Consequently, the FLQ "manifesto argued that in Quebec the English minority held all positions of power and influence, while French majority was disadvantaged."vii What is shocking is that many people in Quebec agreed to this manifesto, even though just a decade before Quebec experienced numerous positive changes, which was called the Quiet Revolution. One of these changes "established a stronger French presence in the provincial economy."viii
In conclusion, Quebec separatists have pushed for an independent state for over hundred years based on the fact that they are a "distinct society." There have been many non-violent and violent protests made by several influential political leaders and groups; however, to date Quebec has not received sovereignty. Although Quebecers may feel as if they have less power, weak political voice and feel as if the other provinces belittle their concerns but in fact the federal government has bestowed many rights and privileges to the province of Quebec. For example, "Quebecers federally have 48 out of 105 senates from Quebec and 3 out of 9 judges in the Supreme Court come from Quebec."ix At the same time, Quebec has restrictions on immigration, French is the primary language and schools do not need to offer bilingual classes. If Quebec ever gained independence there is substantial documentation that there would be devastating economic and legal consequences.
Quebec is a vital member of Canada, who prides itself as a multicultural nation. Granted, Quebec is a unique province, there is no place like it in the world but it is quite similar to the rest of Canada and for it to prosper, the new generation of Quebecers will need to recognize the importance of a united Canada and not a divided nation.
i Francis, Hobson, Smith, Garrod, Smith. Canadian Issues: A Contemporary Perspective. [Excerpt from Blood and the Belonging by Michael Ignatieff]
Oxford University Press (Canada): Toronto: 1998. pg. 355
ii Francis, Hobson, Smith, Garrod, Smith. Canadian Issues: A Contemporary Perspective.
Oxford University Press (Canada): Toronto: 1998. pg. 296
iii Francis, Hobson, Smith, Garrod, Smith. Canadian Issues: A Contemporary Perspective. [Excerpt from Blood and the Belonging by Michael Ignatieff]
Oxford University Press (Canada): Toronto: 1998. pg. 355
iv Immigration - The Canada Quebec Accord (2004). Retrieved September 30, 2007. [On-line] Available:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp252-e.htm#ageneraltxt
v Quebec History. Retrieved October 1, 2007. [On-line] Available:
http://faculty.marianopolis.edu/c.belanger/quebechistory/
vi Francis, Hobson, Smith, Garrod, Smith. Canadian Issues: A Contemporary Perspective.
Oxford University Press (Canada): Toronto: 1998. pg. 137
vii Francis, Hobson, Smith, Garrod, Smith. Canadian Issues: A Contemporary Perspective.
Oxford University Press (Canada): Toronto: 1998. pg. 251
viii Francis, Hobson, Smith, Garrod, Smith. Canadian Issues: A Contemporary Perspective.
Oxford University Press (Canada): Toronto: 1998. pg. 226
ix Retrieved from notes. The Senate & The Judicial Branch of Government.
