Path: utzoo!lsuc!sickkids!dptcdc!tmsoft!ead
From: ead@tmsoft.uucp (Elizabeth Doucette)
Newsgroups: can.general
Subject: Re: Canada: one, two (or many) cultures?
Message-ID: <1989Jul28.011505.25990@tmsoft.uucp>
Date: 28 Jul 89 01:15:05 GMT
References: <3190@uwovax.uwo.ca> <1989Jul27.092203.16418@xenitec.uucp> <28025@watmath.waterloo.edu>
Reply-To: ead@tmsoft.UUCP (Elizabeth Doucette)
Followup-To: can.general
Distribution: can
Organization: EAD MoneyHealth Inc, Toronto, Canada
Lines: 74

In article <28025@watmath.waterloo.edu> rwwetmore@grand.waterloo.edu
(Ross Wetmore) writes: 

> ...
>  Quebec is a vibrant province after the quiet revolution of the 60's. It 
>has that spark of vitality and exuberance that produces lots of new ideas 
>and great advancements - something that is waning in many other parts of 
>the country. There may be more benefits than just political payoffs for 
>locating a space agency in the province. In short, Quebec has that extra 
>something that Gorbachev is trying to instill into his Russians.

>  But lots of ideas, also produce lots of bad ideas. The problem is to 
>temper and rechannel some of the bad ones and reinforce the good. The real
>trick with a teenager is to guide and direct without force, and preferably
>without seeming to tell them what to do, or appearing to stand in judgment.
>However, firmness and adherence to a basic set of rules of conduct that are
>recognized on both parts to be outside and above the petty squabbles and
>trials of strength, is mandatory to maintain respect and avoid hostility
>that produces long term scars.
>
>  There are those that are promoting bad ideas, and they have been doing so
>for most of the formative years of the current Quebec generation. One is
>not going to reverse a lot of their effects overnight but the solution is
>to quietly oppose and overturn every bad one, and to reinforce and visibly
>applaud every good one. Quebec should be firmly and unemotionally blocked
>or disciplined when it oversteps the basic set of rules, and there is no
>reason to pussyfoot around or make excuses for them when they do so. But
>the rest of the country is presumably mature and self-confident enough to
>exercise patience and go about this in an adult fashion. 

Here's where you are wrong (IMHO).  The Meech Lake Accord affects the
whole country.  It undermines women's rights, minority rights and
Native Indian rights.  It requires all 10 provinces to agree to future
constitutional changes.  Excuse me while I laugh.  This is not
realistic.  This concern has been brought up by the N.W. Territories
regarding whether they become a province or not.  I also don't agree
to the way the clause is currently (before Meech Lake), something like
requiring 7 or 8 of the provinces must agree, and these provinces must
comprise 70% (I'm guessing at the %) of the populations.  What it
essentially says is that Ontario and Quebec must agree.  I OBJECT
STRONGLY TO THIS!!!!!!!

And Quebec is now being a cry-baby claiming they want more.  Phooey!
They don't appreciate what they have already.  Or more, they realize
that Mulroney is stupid enough to give them what they want.  The only
reason other parties supported Meech Lake (IMHO), is because they know
they could never win an election without Quebec's support.  Give each
province equal voting power and this nonsense would quickly straighten
out.  I am so sick of this.

I have a very good friend who voted for the P.C.'s in the last
election.  We debated the Free Trade Agreement time and time again.
After the election, he had the nerve to tell me that he was
disappointed in Mulroney.  Mulroney didn't do what he said he was going
to do.  Is anyone surprised?  Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
 
>
>  Also, remember that not all francophones live in Quebec. While language
>is a nice visible weapon it is a mistake to assume that it can be used to
>line up the sides, or to fall for a Quebecer's claim he/she is fighting for
>French Canadian rights. Some of the most telling comments in this 
>discussion have come from francophones that deserve every bit of support
>that can be mustered - in most cases they have already matured to the point
>where they can live with the rest of the country and preserve their culture 
>at the same time, just like the Ukranians, Italians and all the rest.
>
>Ross W. Wetmore                 | rwwetmore@water.NetNorth
>University of Waterloo          | rwwetmore@math.Uwaterloo.ca
>Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1       | {uunet, ubc-vision, utcsri}
>(519) 885-1211 ext 4719         |   !watmath!rwwetmore



Elizabeth