Newsgroups: can.politics
From: robinson@mdivax1.uucp (Jim Robinson)
Subject: Re: What does Quebec take with them when they go, and who decides?
Reply-To: robinson@mdd.comm.mot.com (Jim Robinson)
Organization: Motorola - Mobile Data Division; Richmond, BC
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Distribution: can
Date: 29 Sep 92 21:58:49 GMT

Don A. Bowman (dbowman@shade) wrote:
>Wayne Smith (wlsmith@valve.heart.rri.uwo.ca) wrote:
>: A while ago I got a pamphlet from APEC (alliance for the preservation of
>: english in Canada).  It made 3 points concerning different land masses
>: within Q-bek.  I can dig the pamphlet up, but they gave somewhat
>: believable arguments about each point.
>
>I wouldn't believe anything they wrote. APEC is a white-supremacist,
>anti-french group. I'm ashamed to say that they had a lot of support around
>my home town in eastern ontario (red necks etc)

I knew APEC was most definitely anti-bilingualism, but I wasn't aware that
they were white-supremacists. Could you possibly elaborate on their
white-supremacist views - we don't hear much about APEC in this part of
the country.

>: The point is, what are the rules that the fed gov't would operate under
>: with regards to Q-bek separation in terms of what territory they get?
>
>There are no rules. Separation is unprecedented. The Canadian court system
>would be unable to decide. Probably what would happen would be that Quebec
>would leave, keeping current borders intact, and leaving the federal
>politicians to negotiate
>
>1) trade agreements
>2) border and customs
>3) defense
>4) territorial rights
>5) ownership of federal property within Quebec.
>
>What I predict would happen would be:
>
>1) Quebec will deny responsibility for any of the deficit

In which case, Quebec would find itself unable to borrow a cent in the
world market. Parizeau has already said that an independent Quebec would
assume *about* 25% of the debt - he realizes the consequences of acting in
a financially irresponsible way.

>2) All federal institutions in the province would be nationalised

In which case, CSQ would tack on the value of these institutions to
Quebec's share of the debt, and retaliate, for a start, by immediately
transferring all CPP, OAS, and GIS payment responsibilities to an already
financially strapped Quebec. How long before the cries of the average
Quebecer would make their government reconsider its decision to engage in
economic warfare and decide to negotiate a settlement?

>3) English Canada will not allow Quebec to use the Canadian Dollar

CSQ could *not* stop Quebec from using the CDN dollar. It is another
question whether a sovereign Quebec could, in the long run, accept having
zero control over its monetary policy.

>4) Trade will go down the toilet

If 1 & 2 happen, so will this; but they won't happen because it is no one's
interest for an independent Quebec to act like a bankrupt 3rd world
country.

>5) Atlantic provinces will be isolated.

Geographically, yes. However, Alaska is now geographically isolated from
mainland USA and seems to manage quite happily. It is not an optimum
situation, by any means, but it is also not unworkable.

Quebec could no more win a trade (or economic) war with CSQ than Canada
could win one with the US. It is in *everybody's* interests to sit down and
negotiate a fair settlement, possibly after a short cooling off period,
should Quebec separate. The politicians, unions, economists,
businesspeople, etc all realize this. (In fact, I imagine the first thing
that would happen is that the Royal Bank would come out with a study
illustration the terrible consequences of failing to negotiate a
settlement :-) To say otherwise is just the usual scare-mongering that has
come to characterize this debate.



-- 
Jim Robinson
robinson@mdd.comm.mot.com
{ubc-cs!van-bc,uunet}!mdivax1!robinson