"So I'm afraid that IF they get indepemndance which I doubt..."
Sander,
Let me remind you some facts about my country:
Québec was FORCIBLY incorporated into British North America following the defeat of the French garrison on the Plains of Abraham in 1759. The British conquerors, who had expelled and massacred the French-speaking population of Nova Scotia (the Acadians) some years earlier, subjugated the rest of New France through a deal with the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Centuries of dynastic and commercial warfare between France and England made anti-French chauvinism a defining feature of the consciousness of the English ruling class. Thus the true founders of the Anglo Canadian state poured into Ontario and the Maritimes with truly hardwired arrogance and bigotry toward the conquered French.
Nowadays, as a minority within Canada and more especially within a broader North American economic space, it is valid to argue that the French language and culture are constantly at risk here in Québec. The forces of globalization are imposing homogenization everywhere. We are all starting to dress, talk and act like each other with similar tastes and preoccupations. It is understandable that this is more threatening to 7 million French-Canadians surrounded by several hundred million English-speaking North Americans.
The only thing that really matters is that Québec is not an independent state, it is a province of a state in which Quebecers are a minority (despised by the english-speaking majority). Thus, Québec is not free, and needs to be liberated.
Oh, of course, this liberation must be effected through democracy. We are among democrats, after all. But here again, it is nations that are the key players. That is why Québec is not divisible, because it is made up of one nation, whereas Canada is divisible because it is made up of two nations. Canada is not a real country. On the contrary, an independent Québec would be a real country, made up of a single nation, and would thus be indivisible. This is the only thing that really matters. Being a Quebecer means more than just living within Québec's territory. Being a Quebecer means ceasing to be a Canadian in your head and in your heart.
Québec must be independent to realize its fundamental democratic interests. Nobody can oppose the Québec nation right to autodetemination and, believe me, many young quebecers are more ardent separatists than their parents even though they have no memory of the slights and discriminations that still animate the aging leadership of the separatist movement. Separatism has already taken place in their minds: they've already turned their backs on Canada.
In 1980, 40% voted for being a sovereign nation. Then, in 1995, 49,5% voted for being a sovereign nation. English Canada, that has always had a patronizing and scornful attitude towards Quebecers, now fears a third referendum (2010?) because they know it will be the good one for us.
Vive le Québec libre!
Oh, and yes Québec is a latin country since we speak french, a romance language, and most of our ancestors were french. Culturally speaking we are latins even if we are influenced by our english-speaking neighbors, of course. The mentality between the quebecers and the rest of Canada is still different.
Sander,
Let me remind you some facts about my country:
Québec was FORCIBLY incorporated into British North America following the defeat of the French garrison on the Plains of Abraham in 1759. The British conquerors, who had expelled and massacred the French-speaking population of Nova Scotia (the Acadians) some years earlier, subjugated the rest of New France through a deal with the Roman Catholic hierarchy. Centuries of dynastic and commercial warfare between France and England made anti-French chauvinism a defining feature of the consciousness of the English ruling class. Thus the true founders of the Anglo Canadian state poured into Ontario and the Maritimes with truly hardwired arrogance and bigotry toward the conquered French.
Nowadays, as a minority within Canada and more especially within a broader North American economic space, it is valid to argue that the French language and culture are constantly at risk here in Québec. The forces of globalization are imposing homogenization everywhere. We are all starting to dress, talk and act like each other with similar tastes and preoccupations. It is understandable that this is more threatening to 7 million French-Canadians surrounded by several hundred million English-speaking North Americans.
The only thing that really matters is that Québec is not an independent state, it is a province of a state in which Quebecers are a minority (despised by the english-speaking majority). Thus, Québec is not free, and needs to be liberated.
Oh, of course, this liberation must be effected through democracy. We are among democrats, after all. But here again, it is nations that are the key players. That is why Québec is not divisible, because it is made up of one nation, whereas Canada is divisible because it is made up of two nations. Canada is not a real country. On the contrary, an independent Québec would be a real country, made up of a single nation, and would thus be indivisible. This is the only thing that really matters. Being a Quebecer means more than just living within Québec's territory. Being a Quebecer means ceasing to be a Canadian in your head and in your heart.
Québec must be independent to realize its fundamental democratic interests. Nobody can oppose the Québec nation right to autodetemination and, believe me, many young quebecers are more ardent separatists than their parents even though they have no memory of the slights and discriminations that still animate the aging leadership of the separatist movement. Separatism has already taken place in their minds: they've already turned their backs on Canada.
In 1980, 40% voted for being a sovereign nation. Then, in 1995, 49,5% voted for being a sovereign nation. English Canada, that has always had a patronizing and scornful attitude towards Quebecers, now fears a third referendum (2010?) because they know it will be the good one for us.
Vive le Québec libre!
Oh, and yes Québec is a latin country since we speak french, a romance language, and most of our ancestors were french. Culturally speaking we are latins even if we are influenced by our english-speaking neighbors, of course. The mentality between the quebecers and the rest of Canada is still different.