The Truth About the Quebec Issue :: essays papers

The Truth About the Quebec Issue The Canadian unity crisis involving Quebec has been a controversial issue since before the country^s confederation. Surrounding the seemingly unsurpassable dilemma of unity there are three main obstacles. The significant lack of action for Canada on the part of many francaphone Quebecois, prevents any profound attachment to the country on their behalf. A mood of intransigence on the part of Canadians outside Quebec serves to alienate and anger the individuals within the province. A perceived leadership vacuum throughout Canada on behalf of its citizens contributes to a widespread feeling of hopelessness (Reid, 1991). The complexity of, and speculation towards, the Canadian unity crisis masks the infallible truth that while presently, there is no solution to the problem there is some hope for the future. Within the province of Quebec there is a significant lack of patriotism or any real attachment for Canada. In 1995, The Angus Reid Group asked a national sample of Canadians to describe how they personally felt about Canada. Four options were given: * I am strongly attached to Canada-I love the country and what it stands for; * I am attached to Canada, but only so long as it provides me with a good standard of living; * I am not attached to Canada and would prefer to see it split up into two or more countries; and * I would prefer to see Canada amalgamate with the United States. (Reid, 1995) Outside of Quebec, there was evidence of a high level of patriotism with over 85% of Canadians saying that they are deeply attached to the country and what it stands for. In the province of Quebec, only one-third of the population and only 20% of the francophones, displayed this level of affection for Canada. While there is debate over the cause for these statistics, some individuals believed that the statistics were as a result of lingering wounded pride because of the failed Meech Lake accord in 1991. Many Quebecois were insulted by the way that many Canadians outside of Quebec trivialized the situation, and the province^s demands. Others believe that this problem is indirectly the result of Canada^s official bilingual status. The reasoning behind this is that biligualism serves to even further alienate and differentiate the French within the country. This poses a difficult conundrum. Bilingualism can not be abolished because while it serves to alienate, it is also perceived! by the French as preserving their unique culture and identity. One hope is that through Canadian media a new stronger more unified identity can be achieved. Arguably, the CBC is this best forum for this shift in values because of its