Bewildered by Belinda (More on ex-CINO's defection to Canada's Liberals)

The Toronto Sun ^ | Sat. May 21, 2005 | MICHAEL COREN

[Peter Libra]

I'm curious to know how non-francophonic Canadians feel about the Bloc

Solid question and had me thinking. I,myself and those who are weary of the Quebec Anglo- hate and that is what it is(my view), are beginning to echo some Albertan Westerners. This is what was said in the British Parliament in 1940. "In the name of God- go". Bon Voyage.

Now there are many less volatile Canadians and I do respect them. They simply love Canada and want it to stay complete "from the Bonavista to Vancouver Island. They want to buy off and placate the Bloc. Another sad fact is geographical. Years ago, a journalist wrote that if Quebec was on the tail end of Canada- as is Newfoundland, it would be gone LONG AGO.

You see, they, Quebec, divide our highways and our waterways. I myself believe ,if they separated and things went wrong, the average Quebecer would riot. God help any separatists,their blood would run in the streets. I also believe their (Bloc) bluff should be called.

In the meantime the Toronto Star reports Belinda Stronach was dancing in an Ottawa Bar on a speaker (sic). She was dancing with Tim Murphy, the wheeler-dealer, who tried to seduce another Conservative MP to stay absent. Some calls now for the RCMP to investigate,who lies-Grewal or Murphy.

[AshfieldK]

I remember watching coverage of the '95 referendum and the general sentiment of the Atlantic Provinces was that they were praying for a 'Non' vote because they didn't want to have to become Americans. Same with the coverage from Vancouver.

But, I agree with you on calling the bluff of the Bloc. Do they really believe they can make it on their own? I'm sure France would send lots of money, but there'd be wink, wink, nod, nod strings attached.

Re: Grewal v. Murphy, as an outsider, it's a tough call, but, as a conservative, I'll place my bet with Grewal.

[GMMAC]

"I've been following this a little more closely than I should (being an American, not Canadian)..."

Hey, we should be flattered, given the realities of this world it's rightly far more often the other way around!
Anyway here's another perspective as to your question as expressed in response to a similar one on FR a couple of weeks ago:

Posted by GMMAC to ken5050
On News/Activism 05/03/2005 10:15:05 AM EDT · 11 of 14

Just to play Devil's Advocate, one could argue that the majority of Quebecers are actually ahead of the political curve in their now long-standing repudiation of the morally bankrupt Liberal Party.

Two mistakes, IMHO, that many outside Quebec make in trying to understand it:
1. they view Montrealers as representative of all Quebecers when this is likely as realistic as forming an opinion of English Canada based solely upon Torontonians.
2. they fail to differentiate between the relatively small number of authentic separatists and the probable majority of Quebecers who are actually nationalists. (sometimes wrongly called "soft separatists")

In the latter case, the error most likely finds its basis in the fact that, as a group, Canadian Anglophones take no pride whatsoever in their own language, history and culture and accordingly have great difficulty in comprehending people who do.

I'd argue that people who do deem these things worth standing up for are more deserving of our respect than those who plainly don't. Sometimes - as with "French Only" sign laws - you have to go too far to go far enough.

Personally, I'd support similar legislation in English Canada and would even go a step further: 50+% of the wording on any public sign should be in EITHER of our Official Languages. (reading French really isn't that tough) I'm sick of seeing signs totally in foreign languages because they tell me that those who display them want nothing to do with anyone else and simply want to occupy territory while contributing nothing in return!

........
To this I'd add:
Worry more about the socialistic tendencies of a lot - but not all - of the Bloc MP's. Most of the fear-mongering concerning them is just so much self-serving Liberal/NDP propaganda. The Mulroney Gov't was essentially an alliance between the former PC party and what's now the Bloc and it wasn't half as corrupt or socialistic as the slimeball gangsters now running the nation!

[AshfieldK]

as a group, Canadian Anglophones take no pride whatsoever in their own language, history and culture and accordingly have great difficulty in comprehending people who do.

This is my impression of the generalization of all Canadians, Anglophonic in particular. It seems to me that Canadians have this 'to each his own' attitude to the pont where the definiton of what it is to be Canadian is 'not American' or 'not ... (fill in the blank).'

This can only lead to the inevitablity of Quebec's separation, as the Quebecois, at least, have an identity to gravitate toward, regardless of the politcal leanings of the champions of that identity.

[Malesherbes]

"Resembles Hillary?" Does she have piano legs?