Quebec to give it another try?

[FrankChodorov]

Frank, I wasn't endorsing New Acadia. The idea that Quebec would leave one English speaking confederation to join another doesn't make sense. I expressed a desire for solidarity at the time that one state/province finally declares independence, but I wasn't suggesting political union.
I'd be fine with a free trade zone or even some kind of mutual defense doctrine, but the idea of a new federal or confederate legislature isn't appealing to me. New Hampshire's neighbors are all far more leftist, and with the possible exception of VT, much more authoritarian.

the SVR is not proposing confederating with Quebec although not ruling it out.

who is saying anything about a strong confederal legislature?

the SVR is committed to a civic republican vision based on subsidiarity as depicted in the "Vermont Papers" where most political power is devolved to town meetings (where you act as your own citizen legislator) and then confederated into bio-regionally based "shires" akin to jefferson's "ward republic" vision.

the governance agency has to be:

1. small-scale
2. face-to-face
3. particapatory
4. deliberative

[FrankChodorov]

-Quebec is not becoming more English-speaking, in fact, I believe the exact opposite is true, in Quebec's long-term history.

having just come back from spending 4 days in Quebec City and visiting many museums this in fact is true.

the city itself has gone from 30% anglo-speaking to less than 3% over time.

[burnthebeautiful]

There seems to be a lot of separatist sentiment in Canada. I've been reading about Canada a lot lately, and reading about the various regions. It seems like every single province, except maybe Ontario, has a huge amount of people who don't consider themselves Canadian and are just in it for the free health care. I wouldn't be surprised if we see the country dissolve in our lifetime.

Personally I think Alberta joining USA would be a cool idea.

[AlanM]

Personally I think Alberta joining USA would be a cool idea.

So does the UN. The UN doesn't want to stop with Alberta, though. The UN wants ALL of Canada AND Mexico to join with the US. Bigger is better, right? Hell, why not throw in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama? Maybe even go down into SA? After all, we get a lot of oil from Venezuela, and, of course, coffee from Columbia.

[citizen_142002]

Frank I oppose the "New Acadia" concept. The term Acadia comes from the early union of francophones and anglos in New Brunswick, so I don't quite buy it when you say you don't want confederation.
If New Acadia isn't a confederation, then what the hell is it? 

[FrankChodorov]

Frank I oppose the "New Acadia" concept. The term Acadia comes from the early union of francophones and anglos in New Brunswick, so I don't quite buy it when you say you don't want confederation.
If New Acadia isn't a confederation, then what the hell is it? 

when did I ever say we don't want confederation for VT, NH, Maine, and Canadaian Maritimes?

I said we are open to discussing some type of association with Quebec...

[citizen_142002]

No, I'm pretty sure you've advocated "New Acadia". While I personally view QC and NB as neighbors and potential allies, I dont espouse a political union as you HAVE.

I don't like the SVR agenda, but I support and defend the idea of an idependent VT. Good luck you proud brave hippies. Honestly, VT is NH's liberal sister. God bless y'all. I wish only the best for the people of VT. I hope you sort out this whole liberty thing for yourselves.

[mraaron]

    We should support Quebec..they are neighbors of the Free State!  Besides, if the rest of Canada
were to treat them poorly, we could generate revenue by giving them access to another seaport
at Portsmouth to serve southern Quebec in case they blockaded the Cabot and Belle Isle Straits.

[yamnuska]

Ok, as an Albertan I just have to respond to some of the comments made on this post.

  1.) Alberta joins the USA: What the hell are you smoking? Alberta (we, me, I) is pissed off because our scum bag federal government keeps trying to make us give money from resource revenues to the rest of the country. Do you think we are going to trade one asshat federal government for another asshat federal government? In Canada our income taxes, revenues paid to provinces from business, are paid to the feds, the feds then redistribute that money to the provinces based on stupid government formulas. The big bitch for us is that a provinces resource revenue is factored into the formula (except of course for Quebecs), in a resource rich province such as Alberta (pop. 3 million) that means over $12 billion dollars from our province leaves and does not come back. Quebec of course provides hydro power for much of the NE US, none of which gets put into the formula because Quebec is so fucking special.


      Alberta's money going to Ottawa    http://www.ucalgary.ca/oncampus/weekly/nov25-05/alberta-pays.html

        http://freealberta.com/transfer_payments.html

       

2.) Quebec leaving: Good, the sooner the better, same with Alberta. In my opinion the provinces in Canada have more freedom than the states do in your union. We have control over medicine, education, environment. The chance that Alberta will leave confederation increases every time the feds mouth off that they want to do something about global warming and shut down/scale back oilsands development. The Alberta government asks for 1% of revenues from companies in the oil industry while they are developing projects, this is why our economy is on fire, the government stays the hell out of business. Once a project has been developed the rate goes up to 20%. Other provinces such as Quebec, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland could also be making a killing from resource extraction but their provincial governments want up to 80% of a companies revenues while a project is being developed. These provinces then cry that they are "have not" provinces. Quebec is nothing but a province of lazy cunts who suck off the tit of the Anglophone Canadian taxpayer. They get billions of dollars every year to save their "culture." Fuck them, if their culture is so fucking great and special then it will survive on its own. Go up to Quebec and ask a frog why the English on a sign has to be smaller than the French on the sign. Quebec is a socialist shit hole. Without the $12 billion plus they get from Alberta everyyear they would be nothing but an even larger pile of shit. They are supposedly a have not province but have better health care and education than any other province in the country. The sooner those pricks leave the better off my life will be. My guess is that we will leave before the frogs do, especially as a lot of Liberal politicians are talking about bringing back the national energy plan, nationalizing the energy industry, which would kill our economy in Alberta.

   Sorry if I got emotional, Quebec just really pisses me off. I wish they would just shut the fuck up and leave.

    nep:  http://www.abheritage.ca/abpolitics/events/issues_nep.html

    alberta seperation party:  http://www.separationalberta.com/

    free alberta:  http://www.freealberta.com/

[tracysaboe]

Thanks.

Tracy

[Minsk]

Don't worry, those of us that lived in Quebec were at least as pissed at the provincial government as you are. They did a really good job of killing off all the small farms, industries and mixed employment in favor of welfare. Unfortunately, the portion of the Quebec that votes against the socialist idiots has a tendency to learn English and get the hell out... Check the tax rates -- it ain't just the rest of Canada they're raping.

// If I don't make NH, you folks out west might well get stuck with yet another transplant

[AlexLibman]

Quebec secession would be a very good thing, in spite of their labor union support and other socialist leanings.  We should work with them on the issues we have in common, overlook the differences, and try to be good neighbors.

Here's a little variation on the Jesusland map:

Yes, I know I can't photoshop worth a damn, but I think you get the point... 

It shows something I call the "Free North East" -- a united front with secession movements in the broader region, which don't necessarily need to agree on anything other than desire for greater local control -- including Maine, Vermont, Quebec, Newfoundland, the Canadian Maritime provinces, and possibly even Upstate New York!

"Free North West" would be Alaska, but no major news on that front so far...

[FrankChodorov]

It shows something I call the "Free North East" -- a united front with secession movements in the broader region, which don't necessarily need to agree on anything other than desire for greater local control -- including Maine, Vermont, Quebec, Newfoundland, the Canadian Maritime provinces, and possibly even Upstate New York!

sorry the SVR has already named it "New Acadia"...

[Pat McCotter]

yamnuska,
Don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel.

[AlexLibman]

sorry the SVR has already named it "New Acadia"...

It's just a matter of descriptive term vs specific title.

I don't have a problem with "New Acadia".