Couillard reiterates wish for Quebec to sign Constitution at event with Harper

Globe And Mail ^ | 09/06/2014 | Canadian Press

[goldstategop]

Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard took advantage of a public appearance with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to repeat his wish for the province to sign the Constitution.

Couillard said he wants Quebec to sign on by 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

The premier made the comments Saturday during a Quebec City speech, at an event commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Sir George-Etienne Cartier, a French-Canadian statesman viewed as one of the Fathers of Confederation.

Cartier’s vision for a united Canada that incorporates “a strong Quebec identity” could serve as an inspiration in future talks, Couillard said

[goldstategop]

Quebec Premier Phillipe Couillard sees a future for Quebec within Canada and wants the province to accede to the Constitution. Which is music to Prime Minister Stephen Harper's ears. The federal Tories and Quebec Liberals are finding plenty of common ground these days.

[Kenny Bunk]

Ping, eh?

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

Cartier’s vision for a united Canada that incorporates “a strong Quebec identity”

Did Cartier's vision include all the laws which specifically oppress the English-speakers living in Quebec?

[goldstategop]

About the only difference is French is the sole official language on the provincial level.

I think separatism is a dead letter in Quebec. The benefits of independence are ambiguous at best. Its not like French Canadians are oppressed in their own country.

[Hieronymus]

Official language means something different in Quebec than it means in the rest of Canada and in the U.S.

French speakers aren’t oppressed in their own country—English speakers are oppressed in their own province.

[Hieronymus]

Ping

[Ethan Clive Osgoode]

About the only difference is French is the sole official language on the provincial level.

Is that all? So in Quebec, we can put up business signs in English, sell products with English labels, and send kids to English schools if we like?

Its not like French Canadians are oppressed in their own country.

No, but English Canadians are oppressed in Quebec.

[Squawk 8888]

To all- please ping me to Canadian topics.

Canada Ping!

[Hieronymus]

Are you a Quebecois? If so, you are the first I’ve seen on the forum, and my sympathies. If not, thanks for doing a better job explaining the situation than I did.