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On March 18, 2013, with the Charbonneau anti-corruption inquiry at full throttle, I decided to test the waters a bit with a different kind of question on the Lowell Green Show.
“Be honest with me,” I said. “If Quebec, for whatever reason, decided to leave Confederation would you really care?” I went on to say, “I’d really like to hear from some of you who took that trip to Montreal back on October 27,1995. Given similar circumstances would you do it again?”
If ever there was any doubt that another “Unity Rally” would fizzle out, it was surely dispelled during the next two hours. And again the next day. Even the few callers who professed they still cared enough to take that trip to Montreal once more, confessed to becoming as one caller expressed it “battle weary.”
But for the most part callers agreed with me that there may have been a time when they were willing to sport bumper stickers saying “My Country Includes Quebec”, but that no longer is the case. Some callers, as you might expect, launched into anti-Quebec, or anti-bilingual rants, but for the most part you could sense that the callers were just like Jimmy Wainman, tired of the same old, same old and had finally come to the conclusion that an amicable divorce might be best for all.
The following with some editing for length, spelling and grammar, is a cross section of emails I received following the March 18 show. Only when the author provided specific permission to use their full name have I done so.
VOICES
No, I do not care if they separate—just let them do their thing—with no help from the rest of us. Thanks.
Joyce T, Ottawa, ON
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I moved from Montreal to Ottawa almost five years ago because I was fed up with mismanagement at both the municipal and provincial levels. Quebec boasts a relatively low unemployment rate, but that’s because one of every six workers in Quebec works for some level of government. That’s 16 times (per capita) the number of civil servants in California and the highest ratio in North America. This is not sustainable in a province that can’t even provide the services that should be associated with such a large public service. My first language is French and I do appreciate what Quebec has done to protect the French language. But this has gone too far.
Walter R, Ottawa, ON
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I believe it is long overdue that Quebec leaves Canada. In my view it is unfortunate that Quebec didn’t leave during Rene Levesque’s day. Certainly the economic uncertainty would be all over by now and the taxpayers would have been spared billions upon billions of money trying to appease Quebec. Allowing Quebec to stay this long has only served to help them gain the maximum advantage over the years for when they do separate which is inevitable.
Louise H, Ottawa, ON
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Are you kidding me? Every day I commute to work through China Town then past the Greek area, followed by Little Italy. Do you really think anyone around here gives a damn what happens with Quebec? Let’s face it, in Toronto these days we’re too busy trying to figure out the dozens of different languages on our storefronts while fighting the world’s worst traffic to worry about Quebec. Give me a break!
Ansell Wilmott, Toronto, ON
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The sooner they leave the better!
Rick T, Ottawa, ON
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I am a 24-year-old white educated Anglophone male. I have never lived in a Canada where Anglophones had the same rights as our Francophone brothers; as a matter of fact I have never had the privilege of seeing the Quebec “nation” as an integral part of Canada. My generation has grown up seeing our political leaders do nothing but pander and surrender to the separatists’ demands. Usually this resulted in using the rest of Canada’s tax dollars to advance their apartheid-like anti-Anglophone agenda.
I’ve grown up feeling like a second-class citizen in my own country. I’ve never lived in an era where Quebec contributed to Canada or showed gratitude to the rest of Canada. I have never known, nor will my children know, a Canada that includes Quebec, for whether the province is within Canada’s political boundaries, the Quebecois (with the help of our political leadership) has made it clear that Quebec is NOT part of Canada. This is why I believe it is time to wish Quebec a well-earned farewell!
Darius Campeau, Carleton Place, ON
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Quebec is ready for separation. Canada should begin negotiations to agree on what conditions to implement the process. It has been a never-ending theme since 1970. Quebecers always have followed the philosophy that “We want more in order to stay.” No more drain on the Canadian economy. I do not agree that we should have a European Union kind of agreement when they go. We should do the same as Czechoslovakia did. A straight split with no strings attached.
Vince from Alajuela, Costa Rica
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I am not prepared to abandon Quebec just yet and I am surprised you are. You have always been such a staunch defender of Quebec and its role in Confederation. What in the world has happened to you? I understand your frustration. I am frustrated as well, but we need Quebec, if for no other reason than to differentiate ourselves from the Americans.
Helen Smithson, Collingwood, ON
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I believe it is inevitable that Quebec will separate from Canada. Yes I have “French” fatigue. It would save the rest of Canada billions of dollars in transfer payments. I feel absolutely no animosity—I’m just tired. A divorce can be done amicably with the English. But I don’t know about the native Canadians! Hummmmm.
Caroline A, Ottawa, ON
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Let me tell you out here in flatland Saskatchewan no one gives a grain of barley what happens in Quebec. We wouldn’t mind a bit of a thank you for all the money we poor farmers out here are shipping off for seven-dollar daycare in Quebec. Spent some time a few years ago in the Pontiac area. Great people but of course they’ll still be there after separation. Heck, if not they are more than welcome to come out here to God’s country. I could use a couple more deck hands during harvest.
Farmer George Cross, Battleford, SK
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My simple opinion. Take your share of the Federal debt. Leave our Ontario healthcare and jobs alone and leave—see ya.
Serge, heart transplant recipient, Ottawa, ON
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October 27,1995, I heard the call. I was there in Place du Canada proudly waving my Canadian flag hoping against hope that enough of my fellow Canadians in Quebec could see and hear how much we wanted them to continue to be part of our wonderful Canadian family. Would I do it again? Yes in a heartbeat. I know all the frustrations, the demands for more and more, but don’t you think that a good bit of the responsibility for all of that rests with Federal Governments which over the years have given Quebec just
