Pierre Karl Péladeau, the Parti Québécois's surprise candidate, minced no words: 'I want Quebec to become a country.' Readers, print and digital, have some blunt views of their own on a prospect Pauline Marois is trying to keep in the background
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Unless someone starts making the case for Quebec in Canada, apart from throwing money at us thinking that this is enough to buy love, you are leaving the door wide open for people to sell dreams. At the moment – and for the past few years – support for separation stands at about 40 per cent. Getting people excited enough to hit 51 per cent is not out of reach, especially for a media mogul who controls the most popular media in Quebec.
Canada has to start being visible in Quebec to remind Quebeckers why being part of the federation is a good thing. This might be difficult to understand for someone outside Quebec, but it is worth the effort trying, as failure to understand will lead to much more difficult times.
Guy Peterson, Gatineau, Que.
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Canadians across the country have a wonderful opportunity to show how they feel about Pierre Karl Péladeau's separatist hubris. Those against separatism can stop buying his papers (Sun), watching his TV (Sun) and refuse to advertise in or use any of his other media. This will become known as not putting your money where his mouth is.
Allan Bowman, East Gwillimbury, Ont.
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As a Westerner who is wearing the "immunity necklace" on the issue of French – I am studying French, love France and travel there often, have friends and business contacts in Quebec and consider Montreal to be a fantastic world-class city – I am wondering if it is not an appropriate time for the ROC (Rest of Canada) to weigh in on whether they want to continue to have Quebec as part of Canada.
Separation would be tragic and unnecessary, but how long must we go on having our very significant financial and political largesse go totally unappreciated?
Christine Keillor, Calgary
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PKP is one candidate. One candidate is not going to "define" this debate. So let's not exaggerate. A majority government is not a mandate to separate.
David Gairdner, Oslo, Norway
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Assuming that the PQ gets elected (that remains to be seen), and with a majority (chances are slimming), and a referendum actually gets the magic numbers (a stretch at this point), Canada should look at the bigger picture. It is not unknown for two countries to use the same currency. Also, one has to consider that the larger the share of the international market a currency gets, the better.
Besides, I'm sure people will find it hilarious to see a sovereign Quebec, which has supposedly shed the "shackles" of the "Empire," handing out cheques to be paid in Canadian dollars.
Daniel Proulx, Sorel, Que.
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Quebec-bashing, which lowers the level of political discourse in English Canada and can be compared to the boorish rants of a schoolyard bully, is a big turnoff for francophone Quebeckers, does nothing to bridge the divide between the two solitudes and can only fan the flames of separatism. No wonder it features so prominently on Pierre Karl Péladeau's Sun News.
David Blonde, Ottawa
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Why can't more Québécois stand up for unity to make our country strong? Why can't we celebrate diversity instead of having exclusionary mindsets? Canadians need to unite.
Ophelia Woolf, Vancouver
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Believe it or not, nobody is "trying to ram anything down anyone's throat." Here in Quebec, we don't take positions based on how the Rest of Canada is going to react. It really isn't a consideration. So you can continue with your Quebec-bashing all you want. It only confirms to us that we really are a separate nation and therefore strengthens our resolve to go it alone.
Patricia Bossy, Lachine, Que.
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Headline writers, editors, federal legislators and public servants who refer to the ROC need to understand that many Canadians from the nine non-Quebec provinces and northern Canada take umbrage at being called "the Rest of Canada." This is not the vision that the creators of Confederation intended for our nation.
This comment is pro-Canadian, not anti-Quebec.
Tim Dunne, Halifax
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It is hardly surprising that a political neophyte like Pierre Karl Péladeau would decide to run for the PQ. He doesn't need to study a lot of complex files to jump on the campaign trail. Simply repeating on a daily basis that there should be no religious clothing in public areas and that separation is good is pretty much all that is needed.
James R. McCarney, Oakville, Ont.
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Born in Quebec in the 1950s, I have seen the Québécois go from a people who were marginalized by the church and English society to a people who became strong and confident, but who are edging alarmingly toward racism. The latest charter of values legislation is very troubling.
I want Quebec to be part of Canada but I am tired of the constant threat of separatism and the racist leanings. If the Quebec people decide to give the PQ a majority, it will be time for Quebec and Canada to go their own way. The PQ only exist to create a separate Quebec. There is no pretense or illusion, although the party likes to create both. Separatism would be devastating to Canada and Quebec, both psychologically and economically – maybe more so for Canada. But it is time to make a one-time and lasting decision.
David Bell, Toronto
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If some 60 per cent of Quebeckers do not support sovereignty, why would our federal leaders not take the opportunity to conduct their own referendum? Pauline Marois obviously plans to pop the question just as soon as she has set the stage and fancies her chances. Meanwhile, Ottawa remains on the defensive. This policy led to a very close call last time.
By seizing the initiative from the separatists, those in favour of a united Canada could take ad-vantage of dictating the timing of a referendum and ensure important issues such as the sharing of the national debt are properly addressed. Does the federal government have the cajones to do this?
Tony Hammer, Windsor, Ont.
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ON REFLECTION MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Senators: Say no
Re Slow It Down, Mr. Poilievre (editorials, March 10-14): Using his majority in the House of Commons, Stephen Harper is likely to see passage of his Fair Elections Act, which will emasculate the powers of the chief electoral officer to give the Conservatives an unfair advantage in the 2015 election.
Perhaps this is a time for the Senate to use its constitutional power of sober second thought and refuse to pass Bill C-23, throwing it back to the House.
Maybe the Senate can still prove its worth and be good for Canadian democracy.
Jim Gerwing, Victoria
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Mr. Trudeau's about-face
Re Redrawn Riding Boundaries Trigger Liberal Infighting (March 14): So much for the honeymoon. After pledging to hold open nominations in all ridings across Canada, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is now telling would-be candidates where they can and cannot run.
Clearly, watching Stephen Harper in the House of Commons has taught him at least one important lesson: control, control, control.
In the modern Canadian version of democracy, it seems that some things never change.
Nigel Bennett, Stratford, Ont.
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Wheat, off the rails
Re Railways Fire Back Over Grain Shipments (Report on Business, March 13): So Canadian Pacific CEO Hunter Harrison comes up with an idea that any Grade 10 dropout could have suggested to cut costs at the railway – namely, getting rid of 400 locomotives, 4,800 workers and 11,000 rail cars.
Then he has the nerve to blame his company's inability to do its work properly on everything but his cutbacks. Seems like he's carrying a full load of something, and it's neither oil nor wheat.
Gino Nicodemo, London, Ont.
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Resignation carries costs
Re Chow Makes Candidacy Official (March 13): When someone is elected to any office, that person should not resign until another election is called.
Some exceptions would have to apply, such as severe ill health, but certainly not standing for another political office (for example, resigning as an MP to run for mayor).
Anyone who chooses to do so should have to pay for the ensuing by-election: Taxpayers shouldn't be on the hook. Let's have some commitment from our elected representatives.
David Schooling, Oakville, Ont.