From: schamber@watserv1.waterloo.edu (CHAMBERLAND S - BIOLOGY)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Why Quebec nationalists want to separate?
Summary: For the benifit (sp.?) of our American friend
Date: 15 Apr 92 21:39:07 GMT
Distribution: can.politics
Organization: University of Waterloo

In article <9204100618.AA20214@bottom.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> AIESEC - Ohio State <aiesecrs@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> writes:
>This may sound like a stupid question, but I am her south of the border and 
>would like to know why Quebec wants to break away from Canada.  All views 
>please.  This is just one issue that I cannot understand.  And don't call me 
>some ignorant US citizen.  If I was not ignorant, I would not be posting this.
>All points of view welcome.  Try to keep it semi-short. Thanks.
>
>Ryan C. Scharfy
>Ohio State University

First, excuse me for the delay, but I had some problems to post my reply
last saturday (it appears the disk on my unix account was full... :( )

OK. Always glad to try to explain the situation to puzzled foreigners...

I am a Quebec nationalist, but I won't speak about my opinions here, because
many things I saw on this newsgroup made me think a lot about my former
opinions, so for the moment, I don't have "stable" opinions...
(Wow, 3 "opinions" in the same sentence. I *really* have to improve
my english...   :)   )
So I will try to explain the Quebec nationalists' point of view.
I will try to make it short, but the problem is very complex...
But I don't pretend what I will say is the truth: just what I THINK
is the opinion of SOME Quebec nationalists...

Some Quebec nationalists think that Quebec was forced into the Confederation,
that we really had no choice. The relations between French-Quebeckers
and English-Canadians were never good, and those nationalists consider
that French Quebeckers have always been treated as second-class citizens.
(the good jobs in Quebec were occupied by English Canadians)

In the '60s, a non-separatist Quebec premier (Daniel Johnson) wrote
"we want equality or independance". 

Nationalists began thinking seriously  (in the '60s)
that French Quebeckers are a nation and should form their own country;
some consider only this argument while others explain further that in
their own country, they would be better off to protect their culture
(which is not only TV programs and "poutine", but all the institutions)
and/or would be a lot easier to manage because the federation is an
economic failure.

For 30 years now, we have been fighting over this... 

During those years, relations have been worsening. There is distrust
on both sides. Some Quebec nationalists don't think Canada can protect
their society, and English Canadians don't trust Quebec with minorities
because of its record with language laws.
 
The bottom line is: we are VERY different from English Canadians.
The expression "Two solitudes" cannot be more exact: each society
is going on almost without acknowledging the existence of the other.
Quebec nationalists think that we cannot live together because
of our old disputes, I would say.

Does it help you a little?

Feel free to ask other questions, they are more than welcome.

>p.s. --  One note, I don't speak French, nor do I intend to learn.  Reply in
>English.  Russian is already bad enough.  No offense to the French intended.

Vay govaritiay po-russky???  Ya nyemnoga znayou russky yizik...   :)

(I wish I could write in Cyrillic alphabet on this net...  :)  )

Sylvain "Remyevich" Chamberland
Dept. of Biology
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario.