More reviews on Ségo's credential burnishing! (See post below.)
Quebec Sovereignty
NO LONGER ON FRANCE'S RADAR
QUEBEC CITY January 24, 2007 (Toronto Star) - Upon hearing Ségolène Royal, one of the two top contenders in France's upcoming presidential election, offer backing to the cause of Quebec sovereignty this week, one might be tempted to conclude that support for Quebec secession is alive and well and living in Paris.In fact, the opposite is true. If Royal's wishy-washy comments – which she made on the heels of a 15-minute meeting with visiting Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair and has since watered down – are a symptom of anything, it is of how far the Quebec issue has fallen off France's radar.
By and large, the days when that country's political establishment was on top of Quebec-Canada developments are over. Indeed, Royal's comments put her at odds with the widespread sense within French circles that Quebec has moved on since the last referendum and France along with it. In France, they were widely interpreted as a symptom of relative ignorance on the part of the candidate rather than a serious foreign policy position.
... Royal has never set foot in Quebec.
January 24, 2007 (Toronto Sun) - Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal has become the latest politician in France to step into the deep doo-doo on the issue of Quebec independence.... For this she was rightly denounced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Quebec Premier Jean Charest and federal Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, who nailed it when he cautioned Royal: "You do not wish for the dismantling of a friendly country." Bravo!
... That said, given the fascination French politicians seem to have with Quebec independence, we have a counter-offer for the people of France. We propose they become Canadians by joining up with the province of Quebec.
Here are our top five reasons (because we don't have room for 10) why France should jump at this offer.
- New opportunity for the French to look down their noses at millions more people who speak French. This in addition to the millions they already look down their noses at for speaking English.
- Easy access to Fox News in the U.S., where French politicians can appear to explain why they are not, in fact, cheese-eating surrender monkeys.
- French finally get to taste some decent food -- for example, the pure joy of a fresh, warm Montreal bagel.
With instant addition of 60-million new French-speaking citizens to Canada, francophone Quebecers no longer feel their language is in danger of disappearing. Desire for separation ends.
- French know-how applied to interpreting Quebec's sign law, thus rendering it totally ineffective.
Except, of course, in Alberta, which now really wants out.
PFFT (What is this?): Winning the hearts and minds of Canadians ¾ | Credential burnishing ½ | Rayonnement français 0
