[The Darkest Canuck]

i'm gonna dumb myself down again...

fuck sepratists, fuck Harper and the Conservatives, and fuck the supporters of either, you're fucking up the country!

[Matchek]

Bosman - I can only speak for myself (I don't mean to be the guy that's labeled as "the seperatist" on this forum! - I'm just one guy discussing), but yeah, I think more power at the provincial level would be great and might be better than seperation (as long as it's not a bunch of bullkrappe without any practical meaning - excuse me for doubting anything politicians prepare, but the profession isn't exactly always BeeS-free... ).

Somehow though, I think there's a long way to go before anyone enjoying the poer in Ottawa decides to give any of it up...

No, I don't think Quebec systematically gets the shaft financially any more than the other provinces (and no, I'm not worried about signage, please).

The several past years have given ridiculous surplusses to the Canadian Govt. I think that's great, don't get me wrong, but maybe it's an indication that too much money is going to Ottawa in the first place, while it should be going to the provinces.

Quebec levies its own taxes and some monies travel through Ottawa before finding their way back to Quebec. I'd like to see less money travelling to Ottawa before coming back (for one thing). I don't know if you've been to our hospitals lately, but the experience is frightening. I'd like the decision power to be more local, that's all. If people here feel like getting our hospitals back in shape is more important than getting troops in Afghanistan, then the option should be there, but now it's not. (don't read into this that I don't support the troops, it isn't true - I'm just giving an example)

I like to think we will always share some common goals, and we'll always be able to collaborate. But I think the power to make these decisions should be more local - and not always be made by papa-ottawa.

But that's just me.

[Matchek]

I really need to post more stuff in the other threads - I'm posting more stuff here than on Tragically Hip toppics... that's gotta be wrong... :-D

[The Darkest Canuck]

not really, the non-hip discussion is usually a bit more interesting IMO...not always though...just it seems as though anything hip-related has been done to death topic wise...

[elliot g]

Maybe the poets should stay out of politics, but the best take on Quebec was by the great Canadian poet Al Purdy. Here's the first part of one of his poems.

A Handful of Earth
To Rene Levesque

Proposal:
let us join Quebec
if Quebec won't join us
I don't mind in the least
being governed by Quebec City
bu Canadiens instead of Canadians
in fact the fleur-de-lis
and maple leaf
are only symbols
and our true lauguage
speaks from inside
the land itself

.....



Well said Al. I'd chip in my two cents about Harper and whatnot too, but I beleive that the ridiculousness of the situation and the government in general is very apparent to all of us.

[skippy, remotely]

As you can see, folks, the only real difference between Quebeckers and Albertans, two groups who regard themselves as unique within Canada and singularly put upon, is that they whine about the perfidy of Ottawa in different languages.