Bloc Quebecois Leader To Visit Alberta!

[mo-litia]

http://www.calgarychamber.com/abcalcoc/events3.nsf/Events/Featured/40FCE0D6B616FB0C87256F7300612A87

The above link is to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce webpage. They are hosting Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe on his upcoming visit to the West.   I recently read in the paper that he is due to visit Edmonton as well.   I think that it is commen knowledge that Western Alienation is reaching record levels days - even Alberta's premier has gone on record saying that separatism is an issue here, albeit not one that he supports.

I just find it suspicious that this avowed separatist is now making high profile visits to the province whose citizens seem to be just as disillusioned with Ottawa as Quebec is . . .   I guess what I'm trying to get at here is that I'm wondering if the politics of disunity are now going to result in the Bloc trying to gain support for it's cause by attempting to forge ties with other areas of the country? I don't think that this is an official visit - I don't believe that he is meeting with Ralph Klein - but he is using his title as the Bloc Quebecois leader, and this is bound to stick in the memory of most Albertans. Which then fuels their own fledgling separatist ambitions that some of us have, causing more negative reactions from Ottawa, which creates more Western Alienation,   etcetera, etcetera.

Just to clarify. This is my flag.   I am just looking for other's thoughts on this.

Thanks

 

[Wizard of OZ]

I kinda agree with you

Funny how he is comming West while Ralph is going East.

I don't know how much real support would be achieved in his visit as most see his views as dreamy and farfetched (delusional) 

But i do find that to be quite the quinky dink.

 

[rw4th]

Much of the whole sovereignty thing the Bloc calls for is more like decentralization of the Federal government and Alberta and Quebec have much common ground on that issue.

 

[mo-litia]

Funny how he is comming West while Ralph is going East.
I don't know how much real support would be achieved in his visit as most see his views as dreamy and farfetched (delusional)

Ralph's going East? When?
I'm assuming the delusional views you are referring to are those of Gilles Duceppe!

Much of the whole sovereignty thing the Bloc calls for is more like decentralization of the Federal government and Alberta and Quebec have much common ground on that issue.

True. The difference being that Ralph has repeatedly rejected seperation as an option.

 

[LF(CMO)]

[color=Yellow]"Much of the whole sovereignty thing the Bloc calls for is more like decentralization of the Federal government and Alberta and Quebec have much common ground on that issue."

You've certainly got it right, rw4th.   The whole issue is centralization of power/control of the Provinces by the Feds.   The Newfie issue is another example.   Rene Levesque is still one of my most admired Canadians of the 20th Century.   If the voters in AB and Newfd had the wisdom to vote as   strategically as the Quebecers do, they would find themselves much stronger at the bargaining table in Ottawa.

 

[ex_coelis]

If the voters in AB and Newfd had the wisdom to vote as   strategically as the Quebecers do, they would find themselves much stronger at the bargaining table in Ottawa.

We're working on it!    

ps: some might not mind the 'newfie' bit, but this Newfoundlander does.   No offense taken though.  Maybe NFers?

 

[Wizard of OZ]

[color=Yellow]"Much of the whole sovereignty thing the Bloc calls for is more like decentralization of the Federal government and Alberta and Quebec have much common ground on that issue."

You've certainly got it right, rw4th.   The whole issue is centralization of power/control of the Provinces by the Feds.   The Newfie issue is another example.   Rene Levesque is still one of my most admired Canadians of the 20th Century.   If the voters in AB and Newfd had the wisdom to vote as   strategically as the Quebecers do, they would find themselves much stronger at the bargaining table in Ottawa.

There is no strength in having to be bought.  It is called Blackmail.

I do agree that the Feds have to change there ways but using Quebec as an example for the rest of the provinces to follow is a mistake.  They have one of the largest debt load of any provinces.  And everytime they don't get something from the feds they hold a referendum.  That to me is not progress but BLACKMAIL. MOO

 

[kellywmj]

I applaud Mr. Duceppes efforts. Any support for his cause must be encouraged, if the end result is the separation of Quebec(and the de facto separation of the maritimes). What an awesome country it would be, Ontario to the West coast, everyone pulling their own weight, the elimination of the incessant whining and the perpetual dole. I just wish he the charisma to pull it off. What Quebec needs is a well coiffed Rene Levesque for the new millenium. Now there was a man who could turn the sweetest deal of the century(Ottawa essentially caving in to every single demand) into widespread dissatisfaction amongst the people of Quebec! They honestly think they are getting a raw deal in confederation! Anyway, the sooner the better.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

I applaud Mr. Duceppes efforts. Any support for his cause must be encouraged, if the end result is the separation of Quebec(and the de facto separation of the maritimes). What an awesome country it would be, Ontario to the West coast, everyone pulling their own weight, the elimination of the incessant whining and the perpetual dole. I just wish he the charisma to pull it off. What Quebec needs is a well coiffed Rene Levesque for the new millenium. Now there was a man who could turn the sweetest deal of the century(Ottawa essentially caving in to every single demand) into widespread dissatisfaction amongst the people of Quebec! They honestly think they are getting a raw deal in confederation! Anyway, the sooner the better.

Translation for the east coast folks:
Blah blah blah blah full of crap blah blah blah blah even more full of it blah blah blah blah blah.........

 

[Glorified Ape]

I applaud Mr. Duceppes efforts. Any support for his cause must be encouraged, if the end result is the separation of Quebec(and the de facto separation of the maritimes). What an awesome country it would be, Ontario to the West coast, everyone pulling their own weight, the elimination of the incessant whining and the perpetual dole. I just wish he the charisma to pull it off. What Quebec needs is a well coiffed Rene Levesque for the new millenium. Now there was a man who could turn the sweetest deal of the century(Ottawa essentially caving in to every single demand) into widespread dissatisfaction amongst the people of Quebec! They honestly think they are getting a raw deal in confederation! Anyway, the sooner the better.

While I can understand the frustration, I don't think it's the best way to go. The whole separatist cause is dying a slow death - where once it was a way to gain votes, it seems any implication these days of actively pursuing separation is unlikely to find much purchase with most Quebecers. I agree with the whining, but that's hardly a uniquely Quebec practice. Everyone whines, it would appear the feds just tend to pay more attention to Quebec's whining.

 

[227Tech]

I applaud Mr. Duceppes efforts. Any support for his cause must be encouraged, if the end result is the separation of Quebec(and the de facto separation of the maritimes). What an awesome country it would be, Ontario to the West coast, everyone pulling their own weight, the elimination of the incessant whining and the perpetual dole. I just wish he the charisma to pull it off. What Quebec needs is a well coiffed Rene Levesque for the new millenium. Now there was a man who could turn the sweetest deal of the century(Ottawa essentially caving in to every single demand) into widespread dissatisfaction amongst the people of Quebec! They honestly think they are getting a raw deal in confederation! Anyway, the sooner the better.

Yea, according to this guy, it seems anyone from Ontario to B.C is considered a part of the "master race". 

Someone needs a reality check it...

 

[Infanteer]

Yea, according to this guy, it seems anyone from Ontario to B.C is considered a part of the "master race".  

Someone needs a reality check it seems...

Watch it now.   Well I'm going to agree with the fact that the post may not be the most productive (or intelligent) way to go about things, the issue appears to be purely political.

Accusations of racism and/or ethnic slurs (which aren't in the post) will only serve to serve up another egg-fight.

 

[Bograt]

I am concerned about some of view points expressed here (and the NL Flag thread), because they appear to illustrate some very deep and fractional divisions within this confederation.

Perhaps it is the nature of internet blog, that occasionally more extreme views are presented. Regardless, it does appear that a portion of Canadians are exhausted by the status quo. Nationalism (regionally speaking) is beginning to show its ugly head. The us/them mentality is has accelerated the rhetoric to a level I have never seen before.

Are we disintegrating as a nation? To two considerations for a sovereign nation is a)being able to defend it boarders, and b) being recognized by other states. Can we do "A" and with increased regionalism are we in danger of provinces (regions) pursuing their own international relations? Maybe it is the nature of our geography. I argue that we are not a confederation, but rather a loose marriage of five city states. (Montreal/Ottawa, GTA, Edmonton/Calgary, Vancouver/Victoria). With the change of cultural demographics in the cities, and an "individual rights first" entitlement, there is not only a regional divide but a cultural one as well. Hence the disconnect between rural and urban areas of the country. I wonder if the nation we know as Canada will be here in 20 years.