A friend stopped by the other day, and over coffee the topic came up of the possibility, yet again, of Quebec leaving.
With the election of the Parti Quebecois recently, it's the first time in a long time this subject has had much meaning in this country. But if you read the English-Canadian press, you might think the overall response is "meh."
We concurred. Our discussion led to the conclusion "don't let the door hit you in the rear on your way out."
Maybe it's the spoiled rotten nature of the Quebec students' protests. They were successful, after all. One of the first things Pauline Marious did as premier was give into their infantile demands that a few hundred dollars tuition increase was untenable, and their never-ending tuition freeze should indeed never end.
Maybe they'd like to buy cars at 1990's prices, too?
We, as westerners, see this as a perfect example of Quebec's independence demands writ large. They want their cake, eat it too, and THEN have us pay for it.
Things have changed since the 1995 referendum. Specifically, we've seen entire nations, proud, strong nations, brought to their knees by the financial upheaval of the last few years. These nations - Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Greece - all have been in serious trouble. Even the mighty U.S. has been staggering like a punch-drunk boxer after one-too-many rounds. I spoke to someone this week who was able to buy a house in a gated community in Texas on a golf course for just $95,000. They even threw in a golf cart. That's how bad things are down south.
Greece is on the brink. It seems no amount of bailout will be able to save it. Germany has said enough is enough. Greece will likely have to leave the European Union. Its restored drachma will be next to worthless.
This is precisely where Quebec is heading if it should leave Canada. Destitution.
Without the billions of dollars in equalization that the rest of Canada has been shovelling across the Ottawa River into Quebec's coffers, the Quebec National Assembly would be doing exactly what Greece's government is doing now - cutting everything. Pensions? Chop. Wages? Chop. Social programs? Chop.
Make no mistake, look to Greece, and that is what an independent Quebec will be in short order.
Is this why Quebeckers only gave Marois a slight minority? Enough to throw out the Liberal bums, as it were, but not enough to do anything?
It's like the whiny teenager who wants things their way, now. Fine. Have it your way. Go out your own and pay your way. But be sure of this - you leave, and you will indeed pay your own way.
That's a scary proposition for that teenager, when they are about to lose their car, their allowance, their cushy weekends at the family cabin. They're going to have to make a living flipping burgers, living in some dank hole of an apartment and walk or take the bus.
Except it will be worse for that. Much worse.
Students are banging pots and pans over a few hundred bucks. Imagine their reaction when tuition triples. Imagine the reaction of the Quebec Pension Plan recipients when their monthly cheques are cut by a third. It won't be a debating point. It will be reality.
So be careful with that door, Quebec. If you open it, you may regret it a lot more than you realize.
Brian Zinchuk is editor of Pipeline News. He can be reached at brian.zinchuk@sasktel.net
