Quebec And The South

SE posted this video about Southern nationalism. It got me thinking about Quebec.

As I've said in the past, Quebec shares many similarities and aspirations with the Southern states - though Quebec seems a little more hedonistic and progressive - in other words more liberal. There's certainly no right-wing Christian movement here.

Still, both face perceptions from different parts of their respective nations.To Northerners, the South is parochial. To those outside the Quebec nationalist ranks, Quebec is also looked upon as parochial. Interestingly, the link between Quebec and the south are the Acadians-Cajuns.

Nonetheless, self-determination is a parochial notion.

Quebec is indeed distinct from any other province. Depending how we define "distinct." Language, music, law etc.

But so too is Newfoundland and British Columbia. Asking to split a countrty because of this is tenuous at best.

The two main things, as far as I can tell, that separate us is language and our respective legal systems. We use the civil code while the rest of the country uses common law. The issue then becomes how much of a willingness is there to have one united nation under a federal government? Newfoundland, despite being the last to join Confederation, and B.C., despite the rise of Western nationalism, remain loyal to Canada...for now. Interestingly, Canada doesn't prevent Quebec from expressing itself on any level.

Sometimes I wonder if Canada will simply disintegrate under the growing forces yearning for independence.
It's interesting to note just how many nationalist/secessionist movements there are on the continent. Vermont has one for cripes sake.

Canada is the most decentralized federal state in the world. It's been claimed this is its strength given the sheer size of the country. Ironically, the provinces, by the sounds of it, have more power than U.S. states have. Canada already operates as 10 isolated island groups with Ottawa serving as a unifying, political (and symbolic to hard core Quebec separatists) boundary.

For example, there's no real free trade between provinces called inter-provincial barriers. In fact, we still have labor and trade wars. Another example is that medicare cards are not transportable. Yet, they all clamor, Quebec first among them, like spoiled children to see who gets their hands on Federal equalization payments.

Quebec has pretty much full control of things on its own. Yet, it does to its people what the Federal government what they claim did to Quebec: Impose its will. The Quebec state, more ironies for you, would be no different than an overbearing Federal state. Don't think so? Just listen to the xenophobia around immigrants and the repressive education laws. Some argue what's protecting citizens outside the "pure laine" ranks is Federation.

I don't join Quebec's aspirations because, A) I don't like nationalism and B) I don't share into their value sysyems. I don't agree with its business models and I certainly don't agree with its human rights record with regards to education and language. I have, to say the least, concerns. The PQ say they're democratic and pluralist and then turn around and talk like crazed populists shut out of reality.

To not join it doesn't mean I don't deny its unique position. I don't believe it's a reason to leave Canada. It's just that right now, they haven't done anything to reach out to me. I simply don't trust Quebec to protect me. Already they don't show too much concern, is it that much of a stretch once free from Ottawa they would unleash still further?

Canada serves as a convenient buffer.

Which makes me wonder. How many people in the south are like us "allophones" who exist in obscurity between two national states struggling for supremacy to control me? Would the south vote, if given the chance, to opt out of the Union? Quebec did this twice and lost both times.

As they should have.