Nope, just used that as a point. I never said the Separatist movement was only 50 years old. But, major industrialisation changes in Canada are largely that old as well. Yes, I realise that there was industrialisation before that. I know. But, the big push you see starts in the 1950's, after the second world war. Before that, most of Canada was agrarian and there was far less foreign investment in industry.
However, the fact that you've now spent about three generations making your province less appealing to foreign investment means that you're reaping what you sow.
So it isn't the last 50 years, but it is the last 50 years. Gotcha.
Thing is that you aren't aware of, is that living standards, income and the economy have improved in the last 50 years. Since the modern nationalist movement fought colonialism. It is the opposite of what you are postulating. The Quiet Revolution helped Québécois, not the opposite. It doesn't mean we aren't poor, just less poor than we were.
You do know what colonialism is, right? Do you deny Québec was under such a system and that it affected negatively the local population and its economy? I'm really curious to know your answer to this.
Even if it wasn't the language issue, where are the Renault factories in Quebec? Or Peugeot? These are international car manufacturers with plants all over the world. Yet, no investment in Quebec. Well, that's not entirely true, Nissan has a factory in Quebec, so, I suppose Renault gets in there a little bit now.
But why aren't there Ford and GM and Toyota factories in Quebec? Why are they in Ontario? Are you saying they're part of colonialism? How can that be when they aren't even Canadian companies? Or could it be that the higher ups in those companies, when they decide to build a new factory, take into account that ten, twenty years down the road, the province they built their multi-million dollar facility in, might not be part of Canada anymore and may just decide to abrogate any previous treaties?
You are focusing a lot on the car industry, as if it is the only industry in Canada. That is a dying industry in Western countries, even Canada. Globalization means these jobs are moving away to places with cheaper. It is the case of most industries who's labor doesn't need to be qualified or can be automated. To say that now there aren't many car indusries in Québec is ridiculus. We do have a nice computer game industry though. Same with pharmaceutical research. Those are less exportable as you need highly qualified employees.
In a colonial system, most industries focus on natural resource extraction and its exportation to other lands were it is transformed. Establishing secondary and tertiary industries was never in the interest of colonial powers. British or other foreign investors who wanted our natural resources didn't pay much, if any, in terms of royalties/license fees either. This sort of system is something that is hard to break out of. It takes local capital, of which we do not have much. We were farmers in inhospitable lands or cheap labor for the colonial power, so we barely made a living, forget savings. Most of our elite went back to France after the conquest, so forget its capital. What was left was the conquerer that did not want to invest much in us, the inferior race, to paraphrase Lord Durham, and made sure we stayed cheap exploitable labor too.
It took us a while to remove our chains and take better control of our destiny and economy. It still means we are poorer than most part of Canada, because we come from so far, but we aren't as poor as we use to be.
Is an independent Quebec part of NAFTA?
It is in the US's interest to keep free trade going with Québec and vice versa. So all parties can either use the current treaty until renegociations are done, if necessary. Besides, I'm sure Canada and the US both like that their ships can sail the St-Laurent cheaply. I'm sure we can come to an agreement. *twirls moustache*
[/quote]Are you sure?[/quote]Yes. Québec sells a lot of natural resources to the US. A lot of US industries would be affect if prices go up. We also sells a lot of electricity. Cheap green electricity to states like Vermont and New York. The irony is, if I remember correctly, that a lot of Canada was against free trade when it was being negociated during the 1980s, except for Québec. Parizeau campaigned ferociously to get it, as he saw it as a positive for an independent Québec.
Maybe you'll be able to get rid of NAFTA once we leave!
Is an independent Quebec still bound by all treaties that Canada made?
Yes. A yes at a referendum doesn't mean Québec becomes a country the morning after. All treaties will still be in affect. Independence will be a process that occures over time and renegociating treaties, if need be, will be part of the process. Besides, it isn't like treaties are a one way thing. Those who signed them signed them for a reason. They have a vested interest in them too. It isn't like Québec would be the first country to come out of another in the modern era.
Again, are you so sure that you're willing to bet millions of dollars?
Are other countries willing to bet
their millions?
Or, instead, do you move your factory a couple of hundred kilometres west, put it in Ontario and not have to worry about it at all?
I thought we didn't have industries?
Anyway, why would compagnies spend millions to move to Ontario when all is fine in Québec? Cause we're evil? I swear we aren't like the French! We are more like French Lite. French Lite: same rude taste, none of the smell.
