Friday, February 06, 2009

It’s never fun when your Mother (country) scolds you in public.

Quebec’s separatist class are having conniptions this week, this after French President Nicholas Sarkozy once again seemed to suggest that the idea of Quebec wanting to leave the Canadian federation seemed like a rather foolish idea.

Sarkozy’s words of support for unity as opposed to sectarianism, given in a public celebration and awarding of the Commander of the Legion of Honor to the visiting Premier Jean Charest, has left the boosters of Independence just a little beside themselves these days.

At a speech on Monday, Sarkozy spoke of collectivism as opposed to separatism,

"Believe me, my friends, does the world, moving through this [economic] crisis without precedent, need division?" he said. "Need hatred? Is it in proving that we love others that we need to detest our neighbours? What a strange idea."

It was apparently too much for that esteemed International relations scholar Gilles Duceppe, he described Sarkozy as a rather uninformed individual “he's making an eloquent demonstration of his crass ignorance of Quebec's political situation.”
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Duceppe and Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois co-signed a letter of complaint to the President, forwarded to the President through the French Ambassador.

This is not the first time that the French President has weighed in on the always excited conversation of Quebec and Canada and France, he first revealed his thoughts in Quebec City last year during the celebrations over the arrival in New France of Jacques Cartier.

At that time Sarkozy made some ruminations about the current world situation and how events have evolved and seemed to endorse the template of a united federation, much to the chagrin of the PQ and Bloc Quebecois militants.

The separatists were aghast then and now are almost apoplectic over the latest observations from the leader of the Republique.

Mind you Canadians should be aware that the President is not a particularly well liked person in his own nation at the moment, so this brief interlude of affection for the united version of Canada may just be a passing fancy from Mother France, she may one day return to those mischievous ways of hers, but it'll be fun while it lasts.

In the end however, it will be the observations of Premier Charest that probably do come the closest to answer the questions over this seemingly never ending debate of national unity.

“We've been through these debates for the last 30, 40 years — very intense debates on the future of our society, on the future of the country and yet we've done it peacefully, we've done it democratically.

“We've been through all the ups and downs. We're very used to the idea that some people may express some opinions from outside of Quebec but, in the end, we decide, no one else.”
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This of course is quite true, with the caveat that the folks outside of the province of Quebec would desire a little input as well on that topic of tearing the nation apart.
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For the moment though and for someone on the decidedly sea to sea to sea side of the debate, it’s a delicious bit of theatre watching the Separatists get themselves all excited and exasperated, throwing a hissy fit as Mama France doesn't see things their way at this time.

As Jacques Parizeau might have put it, By Jove, it’s all good fun!
National Post-- Vive Nicolas Sarkozy!
Waterloo Record-- Vive Sarkozy, friend of Canada
International Herald Tribune-- Quebec separatists blast French president

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