opinion
For decades, it seems, the question in the Canadian confederation has been “what does Quebec want?” But there is a new question now for Quebec voters to consider as they move closer to their referendum on separation – “what does Canada want?”
To their credit, the premiers of other provinces gave the beginnings of a clear answer to that question when they met last week in Newfoundland.
As Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow and others made clear, the rest of Canada does not want to give an independent Quebec the best of both worlds.
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It will either be part of the Canadian family or it will not.
Specifically, Quebec should not expect to remain part of any national supply-management system if it leaves the nation. Nor should it expect the same preferred status that it enjoys in internal trade arrangements.
If an independent Quebec chooses to follow “Quebec first” policies in employment or contracting, then it should expect retaliatory action from the rest of Canada, just as Canada retaliates against discriminatory U.S. or European policies.
And, needless to say, any Canadian government that awarded major military contracts to a firm in an independent Quebec would be in for a storm of protest. Such considerations should give pause to even the most passionate separatist. But there’s more.
If Quebec separation ever occurs, which the vast majority of Canadians will regret, then there will be a period of tough negotiations to establish the parameters of the new state.
An independent Quebec will have a large share of public debt. It will quickly lose many of its corporate head offices. And it may lose much of its current territory.
The native peoples of northern Quebec and some predominantly English-speaking communities along the Ottawa River will have an opportunity to voice their own right to self-determination, and they may well not choose Quebec.
Will the rest of Canada stand idly by if the SurŽtŽ du QuŽbec seeks to impose force on them, as it did with Quebec Mohawks?
Will the Canadian government unilaterally abandon the Hull portion of the National Capital Region, with its vast investment in office buildings and employees?
The ideal would be for a pro-Canada vote to be based on the many positive aspects of living in this multicultural community. But the negative side of separation must not be glossed over.
Many tough issues will be raised if Quebec goes the path of separation. Quebec voters deserve to know about them before they make their choice.
