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Everything needs consideration when discussing the attractivity of Quebec to the U.S.
All current treaties between Canada and the U.S. might be subject to revision. Water, Power, St. Lawrence River rights of passage might all come into question should the U.S. sit down and actually look at the pro's and con's of absorbing a province of Canada.
Fresh water for just one I can think of might be worth the aggravation for the U.S. but then factoring in everything from the James Bay to power generation to natural resources that haven't even been discovered yet would enhance and sweeten the pot.
A separate Quebec will be a major supplier of its natural resources to the USA, exploited might be a better term..
I doubt the USA would take Quebec on as a full patch member of the USA,it might attain a level akin to Puerto Rico eventually but the USA wont be making any concessions to Quebecs self styled distinct society.
Quebec within the confines of Canada,with an Anglo population in province of a mere 8% and a federal government seemingly more than happy to take care of Quebec financialy i'd say Quebec has got it right now as good as its ever going to get.
But hey what the heck do i know Pauline, go ahead and separate..
I wonder if Quebec failed as an independent state, whether they would be willing to fall into the US as a territory and not a state. Quebec is too different from a socioeconomic and political perspective to be a US state. Separating from one English country to join another much bigger powerful one also doesn't make sense. But they really need some cash to stay afloat and the US could provide cheap debt financing if they derive some economic benefits such as getting access to develop their mines, forestry and agriculture and allowing US investment in certain sectors like banking and aerospace; all while allowing Quebec to govern themselves independently politically. 20% of Quebec's economy is comprised of exports to the US anyway, so there could be further integration to work with as a separate territory. Just thoughts about what is an unimaginable scenario in the future, but not a 100% impossible scenario either.
Much of today's separatist movement has its roots in a backlash against "foreign" (i.e. Anglo) ownership of mining, industry and energy generation in Quebec, so I cannot quite imagine a scenario catastrophic enough to convince Quebecers to reverse course on that.
Besides, if recent political and governmental history in Quebec (PQ or Liberal) tells us anything, it is that Quebecers are not going to put their economic self-interest in front of cultural, social or identity considerations. Notwithstanding actual US interest for your scenario, here it would be perceived as selling out, so that's not going to happen.
If Quebec was stronger economically so that it could survive as an independent nation without any doubts, does anyone think the independence movement would be more serious? Instead of just playing a card like it seems to be nowadays.
If Alberta wasn't making the Canadian dollar so strong with their oil, would the other provinces have better ability to trade for more profit due to a better exchange rate?
Somebody, way back in this thread , mentioned "voting machines " ?
I've voted in every national and Provincial election since I was old enough to cast a ballot...........And I have never seen such a thing, in Canada.
Have any of the other Canadians on this forum EVER used a "voting machine " in a Canadian election ?
As far as I know, we still use pencils and paper ballots ? Right ?
And if the majority of the voters in Quebec vote for the PQ, a separation vote will be close behind.
Just to throw a bit of a twist into the mix........ Who says how much territory the First Nations will be asking for, in any separation plans ? And if Quebec is divisible, what about the boundaries , with Ontario and New Brunswick, will they stay the same ?? Lots of unknowns, for sure.
What about all the Federal buildings, military bases, bridges, airports, railways, how will they be dealt with ? Do we just give all of that to a "New Quebec " ? I would say this ........ You want to be independent ? Go ahead, but PAY for all of that , on the way out the door. AND no come backs,
Once they are gone, they stay gone. We will see how they sink or swim, as a small island of Francophones, surrounded by 330 Million English speakers ( The rest of Canada and the USA ).
Besides, if recent political and governmental history in Quebec (PQ or Liberal) tells us anything, it is that Quebecers are not going to put their economic self-interest in front of cultural, social or identity considerations.
In addition to those equalization payments, the federal gvmt spends billions more than it collects in taxes in Quebec.
Now make Quebec a net payer and the yes vote would win in a landslide.
They are in it for the money and nothing else. We are the fools for indulging them, they are foreigners and always will be. I feel more kinship to folks in Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota Iowa Missouri etc
I really hope they sever the cord and go their own way, I honestly wish them luck and good fortune since I'd rather trade with them than China.
Once they are gone, they stay gone. We will see how they sink or swim, as a small island of Francophones, surrounded by 330 Million English speakers ( The rest of Canada and the USA ).
Jim B.
Toronto.
Very English North American comment.
What about all the other countries in the world that don;t speak English and are surrounded by non English speaking countries? They seem to do just fine.
Sounds more like a fellow Canadian who has become tired of 50 years of listening to Quebec whine,***** and bellyache about how bad they have it within the Canadian collective.
I think its time for Quebec to go it alone.Canadians have become tired of footing the bill for a province that contributes nothing to Canada.
So if in a referendum i get the question put to me as to whether Quebec should stay in Canada or not my vote will be to let em go and thereby end their eternal suffering under the supposed Canadian domination and oppression.
Much of today's separatist movement has its roots in a backlash against "foreign" (i.e. Anglo) ownership of mining, industry and energy generation in Quebec, so I cannot quite imagine a scenario catastrophic enough to convince Quebecers to reverse course on that.
Besides, if recent political and governmental history in Quebec (PQ or Liberal) tells us anything, it is that Quebecers are not going to put their economic self-interest in front of cultural, social or identity considerations. Notwithstanding actual US interest for your scenario, here it would be perceived as selling out, so that's not going to happen.
My scenario is that they succeed in separating from Canada and go bankrupt as an independent nation like Greece. That's pretty catastrophic. I think at that point they might have no choice to consider opening up their economy up to foreign investment to survive as a nation. There has to be a win-win scenario for the US to bail them out.
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go ahead and separate..
