Posted on 04/29/2005 2:18:09 PM PDT by Pikamax
Quebec Separatists Buoyed by Ottawa's Scandal Woes
Fri April 29, 2005 12:12 PM GMT-04:00 By Martin Croteau
QUEBEC CITY (Reuters) - Separatist leaders in French-speaking Quebec are rubbing their hands with glee thanks to a federal corruption scandal they see helping them finally break away from Canada, but skeptics warn that an independent Quebec is still far from a done deal.
"I think it is wise for our friends in the rest of Canada to prepare themselves for Quebec sovereignty," said Bernard Landry, the former Quebec premier who leads the province's separatist Parti Quebecois.
Landry's optimism has been buoyed by recent polls, which show support for separatism -- largely moribund for years -- rising sharply amid voter anger at a cash-for-favors scandal involving the federal Liberal government.
A Leger Marketing poll this week for the Globe and Mail newspaper showed that 54 percent of those surveyed supported sovereignty, the highest level for seven years.
A later CROP poll found 47 percent of Quebecers would vote yes to sovereignty, up from 45 percent last month, while 53 percent would vote no.
Quebec separatists narrowly lost an October 1995 referendum on sovereignty. Leaders of the Parti Quebecois, which was in power at the time and headed the separation campaign, later revealed that they had been ready to declare independence had the vote been even marginally in their favor.
But the separatist movement faces several hurdles. The Parti Quebecois is now in opposition, and the province's Liberal government, which is trailing in popularity, does not have to call an election until 2008.
"Many things can happen in three years. The government can gain popular support and, even if the Parti Quebecois is elected, it doesn't mean it will hold -- and win -- a referendum," said Rejean Pelletier, a political science professor at Quebec's Laval University.
To make matters more complicated, the Parti Quebecois has also been torn by inner divisions as its more radical members demand Landry step up his efforts to push for independence.
Landry says that if he regains power in Quebec, he would not hold another referendum unless he is certain of victory.
ANGER NOT INDEPENDENCE
Some observers feel the high support for sovereignty reflects Quebecers current frustration with the federal Liberal government over the kickback scandal, rather than active support for independence.
Pollsters and politicians say the Quebec sovereignty option can often be viewed as a protest vote against Ottawa.
"I think the result is temporary. If you force Quebecers to choose between a corrupt federal government and separation, it's obvious they're going to feel stuck," said Mario Dumont, leader of the Action Democratique du Quebec, a right-leaning party that wants more power for Quebec within Canada.
Another problem for Landry is that Quebecers cannot agree on whether "sovereignty" means full independence or greater autonomy for the province while staying in Canada.
That is one reason why most in the independence movement avoid the word separatist, preferring to call themselves sovereigntists.
That was underscored dramatically in the Globe and Mail's Leger poll. Asked if a vote for sovereignty meant they wanted Quebec to remain part of Canada, 56 percent of respondents said yes and 40 percent said no.
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As a nation separate from the rest of Canada, Quebec's prospects for long-term viability are damn near zero.
Wouldn't bother me to see Canada break up then we could buy or other wise incorporate BC Alberta Yukon into the US and have a clear path up to AK.
He may have inferred that THEN the separatists could threaten Canada and gain more and more big payments of transfer dollars- or else.
The legend is that the separatists WON. They saw the goose of the golden egg, dissapearing. They fuffled(destroyed the ballots) the vote and left it - exactly as Mike Duffy postulated- only a measly half a percent to stay in dear old Canada.
True or not true, they have blackmailed this rather mixed up, but lovely old land. Give us more or else, they say. No more, says I. A Quebec dollar would be worth 25 cents- and Quebec aint that stupid.
I hope we won't have to deal with one more anti-American country on our border, if it was to search for another chance of independence. Dozens of awful scenarios are flying in my mind for the French speaking people having their state declared independent.
The PQ supporters should all move to France and leave the province to the first nations.
The PQ supporters should all move to France and leave the province to the first nations.
France wants no part of them.
They do not even consider them to speak true french.
It'd be nice if Quebec separates. Canadians would do better without their taxes going to Quebec.
That's right. You know exactly what the story is up there, don't you!
OK, you saw it, LOL!
:-)
God, I was born and raised beside them, what do you expect, LOL!
In which case the rest of Canada must be doing cartwheels.
LOL. I didn't even think aboot that, eh? ;-)
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