Go, Already

If it is true that the Queen is merely a figurehead, then why must one swear fealty to the hereditary Monarch in order to gain office in a democratic nation?

Is that democratic? Are these Canadian values?

The correct response from the media going forward, and the roc for that matter, is full out mockery.

We know it's a bluff, if they really wanted to separate they would have done so in 1867 or sooner.

I am glad to see that Mr. Gunter has gone further in explaining the amount of money that is thrown in La Belle Province in transfer payments. However, he does not go far enough. Think of the billions that are thrown down the hole each year for accomodating the french. The billions to train the civil service so that I can pull up to the border crossing in Coutts, Alberta to be greeted with a friendly bonjour! The money that is thrown into the CBC for french language TV and radio. Furthermore, the horrendous farce of multiculturism consumes millions upon millions to placate groups that are actually form more of a significant population outside of Quebec in the ROC. If we can just be rid of this millstone, our fiscal problems would be solved overnight.

As for "Canadian Values", the reason we have Canadian Values is because we have a Queen and that Britain kept us from having American Values. In typical liberal fashion though, we must toss these overboard because as of 7:00 AM this morning (the time that history begins for liberals) we didn't need the Royal Navy anymore.

Rant off/

Why does the "National Assembly" of Quebec get to have all the fun?

I propose the House of Commons adopt a new procedure:

All MPs should be required to stand in the House of Commons before each day’s session is begun, and recite:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the Dominion of Canada, and to the country for which it stands. One nation, from sea to sea, indivisible, with peace, order and good government for all.”

Let's see Marois top that...

oh wow.. a topic about Quebec. I noticed that Kate didn't blog anything about the Quebec election, which is good since she doesn't know shit about the topic.

Anyhow... swearing loyalty to the queen is a disgrace.

And why should Quebec refuse the transfer money. It is a federal program and Quebec needs that money.

If someone knock at your door and offer you 1000$ like that would you refuse it?

Where do I swear that the Queen can stick it up her patootie?

Are you guys honestly monarchists as well?!!! Come on. You accept the notion that she is the head of our government by virtue of birth? Are you that stupid? Really?

Pathetic. I like that Canada evolved the way it did. I like that we have adopted the laws of the Commonlaw system, and I have nothing personal against Liz and her brood, but it's time to dump the notion of divine rule.

And personally, yeah, I'm ready for Quebec to split as well. It's what they want it seems and I'm tired of Canada being held hostage.

" so people who live in other countries know we’re not Americans."

They know we are annoying Canadians. Wait for it,3,2,1.

ndp so then it is okay if we stop being stupid and quit showing up and giving you money.

Works for me.

So these MMP's will swear an oath of loyalty to the Queen, but not in front of camera's? Have they no principles? Do the people of Quebec not care that their representatives will SWEAR AN OATH while demonstrating that they have no intention of honoring that oath?

Gee, why is their corruption within the Quebec government? "Hey, we are going to lie, cheat, steal, and blackmail the rest of Canada. Vote for us - it'll be a good time. Don't worry. We will turn off our corrupt and wicked ways when dealing with internal matters. If you can't trust confessed liars and thieves, then who can you trust?"

Morons.

She is on the money and every new Canadian pledges allegiance to her. They also are defenders of the constitution.

A bounus point is she drives the ndp stupid.

I'll give Sinn Fein this, they refused to take their seats in Westminster rather than falsely profess allegiance to the King by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Lying shamelessly to God is a sin even the priests of the Church of Rome won't let pass.

Then again, Sinn Fein never bothered with this referendum nonsense either. Their goal was to rid Ireland of English rule and the Protestant faith, and they were determined to do it at any cost. Give thanks to God that Lower Canada is only cursed with the PQ and not Sinn Fein.

When Edward de Valera (may he burn in hell for all eternity) finally decided to take his seat in the parliament of the "Irish Free State," he was at least ashamed enough of his perjury to pretend that he was signing a piece of paper so he could take his seat, but he was not really taking an oath. One of de Valera's first acts as prime minister, or rather "Taoiseach" (Duce) of the Free State was to see that the oath was abolished, the better to save on trips to the confessional for the government caucus.

Perhaps Madame Marois can organize a referendum on the oath of allegiance. If the people of Quebec vote NON, the pequiste members of the National Assembly, whose loyalty is allegedly to their fantasy Catholic republic purged of Protestants, Jews and Englishmen, should resign their seats and refuse to take them if re-elected unless and until the oath is abolished. Then, maybe, the remaining members would be able to form a government in Lower Canada whose loyalty was beyond question.

Not that I'm holding my breath on that one.

"If someone knock at your door and offer you 1000$ like that would you refuse it?"

Yes, idiot, I would refuse it. Because I have too much pride to accept charity from someone I have no respect for and when I don't need it.

As a former Quebecker, I can say that the problem with your ilk is that you are simply welfare bums, with no sense of pride, just a sense of entitlement. But the real indignity for people like you is that you continue to take our money, decline to express any gratitude whatever and continue to delude yourselves that you are a viable society.

The fact is, you're nothing but beggars...with attitude.

By the way Quebec Separatiste, we'll soon stop knocking at the Quebec door. And when we're at it we'll take back Rupert's Land. Got that?

"If someone knock at your door and offer you 1000$ like that would you refuse it?"

Would I take money from a person living next door, working hard trying to better their lives, family and homes who was forced to give it to me?

I think I might be tad bit embarrassed I could not make it on my own.

Maybe if I could manage my home better I would have the pride to hold my head up high and be part of the neighborhood. I would be able to have more influence and respect from my neighbors.

Bruce, you said it perfectly,

I would refuse money from hardworking people, when I myself was refusing to work, and offered nothing to them, absolutely nothing, in return. Quebec offers no work, no fealty, no sense of shared duties and responsibilities. All it does is: demand more and more. For what reason? Just because.

Most of us are too mature and responsible to take and demand and offer nothing in return. But it's characteristic of the left who reject the value of work.

KPD, democracy is a political process. It's a process of organizing how a society authorizes and makes its legal decisions. This has nothing to do with the symbol or symbols of the continuity of the society's values and history.

In the US, the symbols are the flag, the Declaration and the oath is to the laws and the Constitution. In Canada, it's the monarchy, which embodies the same values as those in the US symbols, ie, the laws and constitution.

John, don't be silly; the monarchy has nothing to do with rule, divine or otherwise. It's merely a symbol of history and of the existence and continuity of what we have developed within that history, eg, common law, a constitution, democracy, freedom, etc. If you don't understand the function of symbols representing the actual in human experience, well, I can't help you.

Would you prefer to swear an oath of allegiance to that hideous Canadian flag foisted on us - not by divine authority but by no vote, just our government? Or how about to Trudeau's Charter, which trashed our individual rights and freedoms? Hmmm? How about supporting that?

Any change to the Canadian oath requires a, guess what, constitutional amendment.

Frenchdip said: "I noticed that Kate didn't blog anything about the Quebec election..."

That's because it doesn't matter a damn what happens in Quebec elections. You'll all still be standing there with one hand out and the other one giving us the finger no matter who wins.

What matters is what happens in Ottawa, where Canadians decide if we are tired of you giving us the finger and start reaching for the money tap.

Fly the flag and take the oath or stop taking the money would be my suggestion.

Let's abolish the Monarchy.

The Monarchy is am abhorrent concept.

I love how you can spell "abhorrent" but not "an", dippy. Its awesome.

I wonder why GM pulled out of Quebec. I wonder if it would have something to do with being the only place on earth to force international executives to send their kids to school in la langue morte. Nah, couldn't be that.

Leave!! - and take your Fing soviet gun registry with you - hope the door slaps you on your fat overstuffed subsidized butt.

Phantom, perfectly said. Just perfect.

Vive le Quebec Libre!

@ Quebecois NDP separatiste:

And you wish to abolish the money you receive bearing the Queen's likeness as well? It appears the ROC will happily agree to cut off all further payments.

And you can give back "Rupprecht's Land" while you're at it. I think the Quebec Cree would be happy to stay in Canada so you may have a problem there as well. Apparently, you are also willing to forgo a number of regiments who also swear loyalty to the Queen when they join the Armed Forces, who also protect your sorry backside.

Let me guess, you mark the anniversary of Sept 13th, 1759 on your calendar as a day of "national grumpiness" even though no one alive in Quebec today has living memory of the event.

The problem is as Dick Slater noted above that some have abandoned their faith and forgotten how to forgive; but will resolutely nurse every imagined grievance into 'national' importance.

I will exchange value for value. I value maple syrup on my Belgian waffles for Saturday breakfast. Other than that "BONNE CHANCE"!

I wasn't aware that bribery was a "Canadian value" given that the province of Quebec looking into 'Bonne Hommes' sack full of construction corruption probes.

Mafia 101: Quebec corruption probe gets scholarly rundown on Mob’s ’10 Commandments’

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/09/19/mafia-101-quebec-corruption-probe-gets-scholarly-rundown-on-mobs-10-commandments/

Clean up your soiled nest and get back to us...

Cheers

Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”

Thanks ET. I like to keep my words small so that the Qdipster can unnerstand them. English isn't his first language, supposedly.

Hans Rupprecht, Ontario makes very nice maple syrup too. No need to hold back!

You'll all still be standing there with one hand out and the other one giving us the finger no matter who wins.
~the Phantom

Priceless.

quebecers like to talk a good line but they are no better than junkies, except they are addicted to cash and their pusher is Canada.

Marois will provide an endless stream of banalities, idiocies and lunacies all trying to wind up the junky class of quebecers into supporting her pet cause.

Chris in the Bridge said:

"...as of 7:00 AM this morning (the time that history begins for liberals)..."

Too perfect! I'm definitely going to steal that.

Money is not everything is life people.
I know ET thinks money is the only thing that matter in life.. But I don't agree. Culture > Money.

I rather be poor and francophone than rich and anglophone. Case closed.

Strange Guy
"I rather be poor and francophone than rich and anglophone."

Why don't come out to Alberta and get a decent job. We love French people out here. Just leave your politics back home and you'll get along fine. Hell, if you want to tell everyone how wonderful Quebec separatists are, we've got a good health care system.

Frankly I don't give a hoot about the Queen from a foreign land. The American President has more influence in our lives.AS does its Constitution , since North Americans like Canadians held those principles as well. People forget as colonies we fought French Indian wars for over a century as equals. I'm sure there are some Monarchists even in the States.
Even in Britain the Monarchy is just a sham tourist attraction.
No that's not what bugs me about Quebec. Its the fact its become a circus we can't afford the admission for anymore.

Just leave already please. We out West wish you well in your new found Nationhood that never happens.
Quebec is Canada's ball & chain. Economically, socially , monetarily, politically, its all a detriment to the Dominion. Time, past time, we severed this leech from our persons.
They are dying off anyway. You don't breed, you go extinct.
Just ask a Panda.

Quebecois NDP separatiste, what is your culture?
It seems to me that your culture is that of a leech who can't survive without handouts from the English.
Your culture isn't better than money, your culture is all about money, just other people's money.
quebecers can look down their noses at the people who pay their bills all they want, but in the end all that makes them is a culture of beggars who are too inept or too lazy and shameless to survive without help from the English.
Where is your pride and self respect?
Or does your culture not include those concepts?

Great piece Lorne Gunter!

Quebecois ...... (translation) socialist, soft commies.... bred in the bone .... the Lot!

All Marois is doing is trying to provoke a reaction in the rest of Canada so she can point to all the mean things that are said and use them to increase support for quebec separations.
I'll bite:
Waddle your fat ass to the door and I don't care if it hits you or not when you leave.

'If someone knock at your door and offer you 1000$ like that would you refuse it?'
Posted by: Quebecois NDP separatiste at September 19, 2012 1:38 PM

You make a valid point NDP separtiste, the ROC is at fault for agreeing to fund a group of people who wish us ill fortune. All of the rest of us, in this country, have been stuck on stupid for far too long. We can and should spend our own money; in our own neighborhoods. Supporting Quebec's welfare state is a fools game and it is a lose, lose situation for us.

Quebec is always on the take; like a spoiled child threatening to leave home if he/she does not get a lot more than anyone else in the household without contributing to even his/her own upkeep. Eventually the rest of the household calls the bluff and helps the whiner pack. Quebec is not 'special' to anyone of my acquaintance, out here in the west. Third/Forth generation Western Canadians view Eastern Canada as 'loose card' liability not as an important asset. Quebec is by far the worst liability with it's 'holier than thou' empty rhetoric. Quebec, in particular, is like a thorn in our side that has festered; we are ready to pull out that thorn!

When I see the economic direction that Marois seems intent on taking Quebec, it makes sense to me that she wouldn't be talking of separation just yet. Having to pay for her government's programs while further sinking their tax paying class, will lead to riots. And those riots won't be paid for in culture, but in whatever currency is left for those stuck in Quebec.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/19/john-ivison-pauline-marois-intent-on-scuttling-canadas-european-free-trade-deal/

I'd kinda like to see Quebec go it alone - surrounded by annoyed Scots and trying to get all their needs up the St. Lawrence.

Let me be the first to call every MALE PQ member & supporter a hypocritical W-H-O-R-E ! ! !

The good news is, if she keeps this BS up the Canadian dollar will drop....

Money is not everything is life people.
I know ET thinks money is the only thing that matter in life.. But I don't agree. Culture > Money.

I rather be poor and francophone than rich and anglophone. Case closed.

Posted by: Quebecois NDP separatiste at September 19, 2012 5:03 PM

Delighted to hear it. I encourage you to have children and teach them your culture and language.
I'm sure you will happily spend more than a few loonies bearing HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN ensuring the survival of the french culture IN CANADA.

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/19/john-ivison-pauline-marois-intent-on-scuttling-canadas-european-free-trade-deal/

Notably, the Canada-EU deal will get done one way or another. The visit to Ottawa by German Chancellor Angela Merkel last month was primarily about setting a timeline for finalizing an agreement. Negotiations are due to conclude this year and the political battles will come in 2013 during the ratification process.

Alternatively, you could be speaking German instead...

Now if you want to get all hyphenated that would make one a "Franco-German Canadian multilingual-o-phone".

Cheers

Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”

Stating "culture is greater than money" and then taking the money explains the simple culture you have.

That's wonderful, really great, quebecois! So, does this mean that you'll stop demanding more and more and more money from Canada? Does this mean that the image, so perfect, of Phantom, of you standing with one hand out for more money, while the other hand gives us the finger, will end?

You'll manage on your own?! You'll cut your socialist social programs, all subsidized by money from the Canadian taxpayer? You'll increase your university tuition to normal standards so that you won't be demanding more from Canada? You won't provide same-as-Quebec tuition rates to foreign students, while charging Canadian students double?

Oh, and maybe you won't be the province with the most universities, paid for by the federal government, when your population doesn't merit that many?
And will you stop insisting that head offices of banks, etc and government services MUST be located in Montreal, to provide jobs for Quebecers?

You'll allow workers from Ontario to work in Quebec, something you now don't allow, and you'll stop your insistence that Quebecers can work in Ontario?

You won't accept not merely the transfer amount of 8 billion, but won't accept the over 13 billion more than you provide to Canada in your taxes?

Will you give up your insistence that Quebec dominates the dairy industry and has the highest quota, while other provinces aren't allowed to produce as much dairy products?

Gosh, will you actually stop living off the Canadian taxpayer, and develop your own economy?

Will you really do that? Or will you do your usual, that 'two hands statement'? Hmmm?

I agree with Quebecois that he believes there are more important things to him than money.

Therefore, let him and his ilk prove how well that works.

Abolish transfer payments, set them free and let them culture (not pay) their own way.

Marios says tax the rich at 75%, just like big brother in France proposed. Let the record show that Hollande in France first proposed it and the unoriginal thinkers in Quebec City then parroted that exact same proposal.

Then, see how many people in Quebec would agree that 75% of the money they worked for would go to the parasite class.

It's kinda tough to tax 75% when the people who you would tax 75% have left your jurisdiction.

Not to worry, though. Quebec will still be left with a culture of destitution that they will be proud to say they created.

"I rather be poor and francophone than rich and anglophone"

The bullsh*t meter experienced a dramatic surge on that gem.

Well, I don't mean to be pedantic (three syllables) or anything (also three syllables), but it seems that we have this here thingee called the Constitution Act, 1982. Which happened to come to fruition in a bad economy in 1982, when a certain former prime minister, whose majority in Parliament was based on a certain 74 of 75 seats from a certain central Canadian province, decided that his highest priority was to get this here constitution thingee through...

(At least we can say that the certain former prime minister to whom I refer was concerned about the constitution in a bad economy, which is alot more than we can say about the current President of the United States, who's concerned about neither of the above -- maybe he votes absent, or present, or something...; or maybe, you know, the chair's just empty...)

As it happens, The Fifth Schedule to The Constitution Act, 1867 contains something titled, er, Oath of Allegiance, which reads:

"I, A.B. do swear, That I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria. Note -- The Name of the King or Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland for the Time being is to be substituted from Time to Time, with Proper Terms of Reference thereto".

Anybody really, really, really want to fight over this tater again?

Posted by: David Southam at September 19, 2012 6:40 PM

Can't recall Quebec signing onto the 1982 Constitution.

Even though they'd like to abolish the monarchy, they call their elected leader Prime Minister, which is a title derived from the British Parliamentary system ... ironically headed by the Monarch.

Pretzel, meet twist.

@SYF:

The Fifth Schedule to The Constitution Act, 1867

Well, Lower Canada did sign on to the Constitution Act 1867 and hence is bound by the oath of allegiance contained therein....

it matters not whether Ms Marois finds that inconvenient or disagreeable, it's simply a matter of law. Her alternative would be to renounce her premiership if she can't utter the oath.

Not having cameras at her swearing in is political gamesmanship. She had to swear the oath otherwise she wouldn't be able to play in the Quebec legislature.

Cheers

Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”

Hans:

Correct. Since Quebec did not sign on to the 1982 act, they're still bound by the 1867 BNA and therefore must pledge allegiance to the crown.

Actually it was the"Pepsi's" Mitt Romney was talking about.

Does any Canadian have any duty to honour her governance if she cannot provide evidence of having taken the oath of office?

Quebec is certainly bound by the 1982 act. There was absolutely no requirement for them to approve a constitutional amendment nor is there presently any requirement that they approve most future amendments.

I didn't care about the Quebec election. Whoever takes them out for good, is good with me.