Quebec's impact on North America
Uploaded by highlight4u on Oct 01, 2001
Roger Gibbons asked in his writing “Canada Without Quebec: Thinking Through the Unthinkable”1 “…could Canada survive without Quebec?” (CWQ pg. 116) Not only is this a question that is not easily answered, but one that can be brought to an even more straightforward question. Can North America remain the same without Quebec belonging to Canada? To imagine Canada without Quebec is like watching the news with no sporting event highlights, a possibility but unlikely to say the least. A Quebec departure from Canada will not only reshape Canada, but will also reshape the entire continent of North America.
As the two governments of Quebec and Canada continue to talk about separation, they hold decisively the future of North America. Quebec leaving Canada will open doors for new nations to be built and for other current nations, such as the United States, to consume Canada that is lost in pandemonium. When or if Canada should lose Quebec, those remaining outside of Quebec would be lost in their Canadian distinctiveness and Canadian foundation of life. Canada’s uniqueness is one of multiculturalism, bilingualism, rights and freedoms, and well being for all. With the departure of Quebec, Canada loses one of its strongest identities. Canada is known as a French speaking country and an English speaking country; Canada would lose their whole French language characteristics. However, don’t think that a language forms a complete identity, for it doesn’t, but it does give a sense of belonging and historical background. As stated before, Quebec leaving Canada will form a new nation on the North American Continent. This formation being the most important, for it will allow the others to follow.
As soon as Quebec is granted or achieves separation, the James Bay Cree will be the first to follow. The Cree argue that Quebec separating from Canada should allow the Cree from separating from Quebec, much to Quebec’s chagrin. Matthew Coon Come wrote in “Dishonourable Conduct: The Crown in Right of Canada and Quebec, and the James Bay Cree”2, “we Crees feel that our rights and interests will be best protected if we remain within Canada…” (DC pg. 98) Though this would no longer be relevant after Quebec’s departure. Come did say this however, “how can people who claim these rights deny these rights to us? Where is the logic?” (DC pg. 91) This referring to Quebec’s stand that the James Bay Cree have no...