Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

Daedra .. At best I am a Quebecker purely because I happen to live here. That doesn't mean by any stretch that I am Quebecois and it never will. The Tory government's motion states: "That this House recognize that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada." It is pretty obvious who comprise that group and I ain't included.

Even if I were I consider the whole idea of a nation within another nation ridiculous anyway.

Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

Frankly Mike may I just say that the Anglophone Canadians know nothing of the Quebecois or their plight, they claim to, but they really dont give a shit when it comes down to it. The fact that YOU did give a shit about it enough to post this thread, in fact, makes you (regardless of language) a Quebecois... don't believe me? Go ask a few of your Quebecois neighbours/friends if I'm right... your stuck in there now buddy, sorry to tell you *lol*

The ones that aren't Quebecois are the Anglophones that ran out of the province at the first sign of possible seperation... I went through those stupid referendums as an Anglophone (with Francophone parents) in Quebec, it wasn't pretty at the time with all the bloody grafiti, but one thing I learned as I actually took time to talk to my french relatives and neighbours... most of these supposed 'hard line' exculsive Francophones are the ones that have never stepped foot outside of Quebec and are by no means the majority... The Partis Quebecois (FLQ & Bloc Quebecois) all gain strength by ignorance and by Anglophones assuming that they represent how all Francophones feel. Politics!! Stir the pot in order to build strength for your arguements!

Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

Daedra ... I find that the Anglo Canadians in the rest of Canada (ROC) do not have much in common with Quebeckers (this includes the Quebecois) and thus they are either indifferent or resentful towards Quebec. I do not fault them. Honestly, if I lived in Toronto or in the West I probably would behave the same way.

I still take great issue with the notion of a nation within another nation.

The idea is downright dangerous. I agree with those politicians who oppose it. See my earlier links. It does sweet bugger all for those federalist leaning French Canadians. It is patronizing at best and I don't think anyone is fooled. It will surely provide ammo for those secessionists who will choose to see this motion as more than mere symbolism.

One is not going to keep a country together by extending special status or according special recognition to a group of its citizens, in this case the Quebecois.

As I think I already mentioned upthread why not extend nationhood to the people of Indian, Pakistani.Srilankan, and Bangladesh estraction? And while we are at it how about those of Chinese descent?

I predict this will not end well. No one will be pleased.

Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

Because there is a difference, although there are large immigrant populations of those groups, they were in no way significant in numbers in the original population of Quebec and Canada.

The fact remains, the French had far more interest & ties with Canada in the early 'new world' settlement days then the English did... the English were far more interested in what is now the USA mostly the Mississipi river gateways. The Chinese, Pakistani and other racial groups were only brought in far later then the original 'colonisation' in the late 1600's anhd mostly (unfortunately) as slave labour to build the railway systems in the late 1800's.

In alot of ways, the whole biggotry between the French & English in Quebec is perpogated and reinforced by the local media... DONT take the bait, it is bullshit wether you are watching the local Quebecor sponsored TC channels or the CTV (Ottawa based) channels, they are both biased in their own directions.

I only realised this fact after 10 years of struggling to figure out which group was right (locally) and realised they were BOTH wrong when I stepped away from the propoganda.

Honestly Mike, if you were to move to another region of Canada after these 15 odd years of living in Quebec, I doubt you would fit in as seemlessly as you might think.

My Francophone Aunt (who lived in Alberta for 10 years as a youth) brought up a surprising idea to me when we visited last month. "Anglophones in Quebec are different, they are not like anglophones in other provinces. They have been subjected to being the minority and they have LEARNED what it feels like to be a minority and are less willing to perpetuate that on to others. I would never class an Anglophone from Quebec in the same catagory as an Anglophone from an English Province... no matter how much they think they understand in other provinces, they can never have the same experience as the English do here."

This is an almost word for word recount of what I was told by my French Canadian aunt from my mums side... so no shit, there are alot of biggoted French people, but there are also a hell of alot of educated non bigoted french in Quebec as well... don't let the propoganda get to you, you ARE Quebecois after this many years you've been here Mike. You'll meet stupid biggoted people everywhere, but they dont represent the majority, otherwise Quebec would already be its own country now :)

Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

And even more worrying it is je vais not je va.

Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

I dont agree with that, I think that idetnifying Quebecois as a nation within Canada will do a great deal of good to the quebecers who are middle of the road... dont want to give up their heritage but also dont want to swear aliegance to the anglophone Canadians who predominate the country.

Fair by my standards if it only means identifying French Canada as a distinct nation existing within Canada, I applaud that over the sentimwent of French Canada being a seperate entitity to Canada as a whole.

Re: Quebecois are a Nation. Since when?
 

ok now your just nit-picking :p