Factors Affecting The Ebb

1
Factors Affecting The Ebb Flowof Quebecs
Nationalist Project

• Linguistic Insecurity
• - esp. demographic threat
• IRONY OF BILL 101 increased sense of
• linguistic security, and thereby led to
• greater integration with English speaking
• world
• Feelings of Rejection by Rest of Cda
• Feelings of Self-confidence of Individualism
• Labour union militancy, incl. public svc unions
• - promotes ethclass consciousness
• - public service imp. pillar of Que ntlsm
• Charismatic Leadership
• - e.g., R. Levesque,
• L. Bouchard
• Precipitating Event
• especially if symbolically charged

2
Some Effects of a Referendum Campaign

• Divides families, friends, workplace
  relationships
• Heightened Anxiety/Tension Anticipation
• e.g., childrens nightmares Anglos
• Will civility prevail or will we
• become like Bosnia?
• Immigrants feel like 2nd class citizens
• Emphasis on we vs they distinctions
  primordialism
• (pur laine Quebecois)
• i.e., ethnic nationalism,
• rather than civic nationalism
• Depression /or sense of betrayal among losers

3
Issues Surrounding The Separation of Quebec

• What Will Happen to R.O.C.?
• Labrador Border
• Allocation of Assets Liabilities e.g.,
  proportion of national debt valuation date of
  assets
• Partition of Quebec Itself - esp. aboriginal
  people
• Who Will Negotiate for Canada if PM is from
  Quebec?
• Free-trade - Quebec-Canada Quebec-USA
• Ill-will
• Once things start to unravel, theyll move very
  quickly in ways we cannot foresee. No one can
  predict the outcome. (Gordon Richie)