Time For Clarity

Ever since the PQ first took power in 1976, we have seen a constant pattern in Quebec politics: the separatist PQ demands more powers from the federal government and the federalist Liberals attempt to appease “soft” nationalists by embracing the weakest demands. This is how a correction of the fiscal imbalance and the limitation of the federal spending power, two recent examples among many, have come to be unanimously demanded by the Quebec National Assembly.

Usually, the federal government ends up giving in. It can often take a few years, but as Stephen Harper has demonstrated, the potential vote gains in Quebec are usually enough to persuade Prime Ministers accept the province’s ever increasing demands.

This was all fine in Levesque era when PQ was really only trying to restore equity and protect the French language; but now, we’re into constitutions and citizenship.

Both the ADQ and the PQ, who together hold a majority in the National Assembly, want Quebec to possess its own constitution, and earlier this week, PQ leader Pauline Marois outlined her plans for a Quebec citizenship based partly on knowledge of French.

The federal government needs to draw the line once and for all. It shouldn’t set out to crush Quebecois pride, but clearly define which demands are acceptable within the realms of the Canadian federation and which would require full separation.