by Stephanie K

Created on: July 11, 2008

Quebec has agreed to the terms of Confederation. A nationalist agenda within the political and legal boundaries of a country undermines the identity of that country. Eighty-three percent of Canadians speak English as a first language. Majority rule by the anglophone populace is threatened by favoritism towards French Canadians.

There is no reason why sixty-seven percent of the civil service consists of French Canadians. It is preposterous to use bilingual language requirements as a form of discrimination against the majority. The French should be required to learn English. The anglophones should not be required to learn French. It is hardly spoken outside Quebec.

This situation is particularly distressing to Western Canadians. Three percent of Alberta's population is French Canadian. Two percent of British Columbia's population is French Canadian. It is not uncommon for people from Quebec to demand that anglophones speak French to them as a sign of solidarity and welcoming. The problem with this argument is that the local residents have a right to require that French Canadians learn English. They are not a minority in their own country.

That is the origin of the problem. The artificial perception that special rights and forms of social engineering are necessary in order to make Quebec feel better. Then perhaps they would not threaten to leave. I figure if Quebec wants to leave, let them. It will not make any difference to Westerners who long ago accepted the reality of Quebecois exceptionalism and separatism. What they do not accept is the notion of them owing Quebec something. They haven't done anything to them. They are not a historically marginalized minority like Sikhs, Arabs, Jews, Blacks, Ukrainians, aboriginals and other groups. They have full cultural and linguistic rights. They can leave if they want to.

Quebec is afraid to leave. They vote for separation if they can get sovereignty-association. They want to leave but they want to stay. The wife who wants to leave and file for a divorce should understand she will no longer be eating candy and watching television all day while the husband works seven days a week. She will lose the house. She wasn't staying at home for the kids to begin with. She wants money. She claims that the marriage is unfair but is the one milking it for all its worth by helping herself to his money without the right.

She has money herself. She figures she should end the marriage but get the house and lifetime maintenance. The entire

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>