November 26, 1999
The Can Of Worms That Is Quebec - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER - The latest story that’s made it’s way across the mountains to good ol’ BC is Prime Minister Jean Chrétien’s tough talking and grand standing against any hope for Quebec sovereignty. Sure, Chrétien is awfully tough and looking quite leader-like, but there are serious motives behind that. The issue at hand now is that he and Intergovernmental Affairs minister Stéphane Dion are insisting that any succession from Confederation must have at least 60% of the people behind it, before any negotiations are started.
Tough is the facade the Liberals are posing, but tougher, if not easier is deciphering their motives. It’s no secret that Chrétien wants to run for a third term, and what better way to amass sound bites for a future campaign, than making sweeping and passionate speeches tooting his horn on how committed he is to Canada. As a British Columbian, I am a little disgusted by this current government’s behaviour. My current peeve is their threat to invoke closure on debate on the Nisga’a Treaty. With this latest charade with Quebec, I can see how they play the scene like a fiddle.
Clips of Chrétien bellowing down the cries for separation in Quebec will look awfully good in the PM’s post-24 Sussex Drive memoirs.
The current PQ government under Bouchard is fading. The economy and matters like that are on the minds of Quebeckers, not getting away from Canada. The PQ seems to be wanting to push this dream through, but are somehow fessing up to the reality of governance. The dearly respected Allan Fotheringham predicts Bouchard is out by June of next year, and with him gone, Quebec will have to settle on staying part of Canada. What the Liberals are doing is simply exposing these weaknesses so that the issue of separation is buried with René Lévesque.
All the PM is doing is beating a dead horse. He knows Quebeckers don’t want separation and Quebeckers know that too. Chrétien, the vindictive man that he is, is simply taking advantage of the PQ’s weak position in the polls and in the public’s consciousness and somehow ending separation nonsense once and for all. Something Trudeau never did, something Joe Clark or Brian Mulroney never did. (Ah, now won’t that judge Mr. Chrétien so dearly in history?)
Somehow the Liberals are going to screw this one up and end up appeasing Quebec further. Chrétien and company will loose their footing and the separatists will gain momentum. The pessimism and lack of trust in these God-awful Liberal’s is telling me that. I don’t think Quebec will separate, at all. As much as the separatists claim they are different, they have a hell of a lot more in common with Canada than they do alone.
I am reminded of the old Neufie joke, the Newfoundlander doesn’t really matter if Quebec separates, it just means the drive to Ontario will be half shorter. Somehow I hope Chrétien’s grand standing blows up in his face, if only to give him the hint that he should retire and let someone else talk for Canada.
Questions and comments may be sent to: editor@thecommentary.ca
An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .