Nation notion dangerous

Calgary Sun
By STEPHEN LAUTENS
Dec 1, 2006

So Quebec is now officially a nation -- sort of. Good for them.

Actually, the official wording -- in English -- recognizes the "Quebecois" as a nation, although when questioned who exactly the "Quebecois" are, government spokespeople were a little more vague. Because they didn't use the English word "Quebecers" it apparently may or may not include any Anglos living in the Province of Quebec, francophones living outside Quebec, or aboriginals living there long before there even was a Quebec.

I suppose it doesn't really matter because the government has assured us the whole motion doesn't actually mean anything -- technically that there are no legal or constitutional implications to the motion -- unless of course you're a Conservative candidate in Quebec.

It was just a tactic to thwart those separatists in Ottawa who cash a federal paycheque every week who were going to bring in their own motion about Quebec as a nation.

It's kind of refreshing for the government to say up front that one of their major policy initiatives is really just an empty gesture. I guess it's sort of the government equivalent of a kiss on the cheek from an ex-girlfriend.

How something can be of "national importance" and part of "reconciliation with Quebec," yet have no legal meaning, is beyond me. Of course there are those of us who believe anything that gives comfort and ammunition to the separatists is a bad thing, even when "it doesn't mean anything."

Of course the government tacked on "within a united Canada" to the motion, but my guess is the separatists will put their thumb over that part of the page.

One way to make sure it doesn't mean anything is for the government recognize other "nations." If we're talking about parts of Canada that have differences, then Alberta is a nation, along with Newfoundland, B.C., Manitoba and the Nova Scotia. New Brunswick and P.E.I. have their own ways of doing things, and our territories up north sure are unique.

In fact the only province that isn't distinct is probably Ontario, and that's enough to make it different.

And as along as we're giving out meaningless nationhood status, we also have the different people who could each be a nation, from our aboriginals ( already First Nations) to the German, Mennonite, Chinese, Ukrainian, Polish, Italian, and others who built this country. I suppose the Vikings were here before the French, so that should give them priority as a nation "within a united Canada."

Instead of being clever and meaningless, it would be nice for a federal government to have the guts to stand up for Canada and vote against any special recognition for anyone.

That's what former cabinet minister Chong did -- he gave up a cushy job quietly and with dignity with no hope of any future gain over a matter of principle. No wonder the other politicians can't figure him out. Even now the government is trying a whisper campaign to discredit him for having given their cheap politicking a black eye.

It's no fun being the canary in the mine, but he has the integrity to see any resolution about nationhood as dangerous to the very idea of Canada, no matter what you tack onto the end.