In a one-minute speech shot from a Montreal high-rise officer tower, Premier Pauline Marois makes the case that Quebec taxpayers would be wealthier if they only had one level of government to support.
She also argues that Quebec should not have to hand over any future oil wealth to Canada.
h/t Orville
Please go.
But what will Shiny do?
What about poutine wealth? We’re not just going to let them go and take all that valuable poutine with them, are we?
Shinny and Princess can then run their own dog and pony show and stop screwing ROC.
If only we all could vote in this decision.
She’s absolutely right! Quebec would be far, far better off alone.
If she promises to hold a referendum and go with a 50 % plus 1 majority, I’ll cut her cheque for $100 right now…hell, I’ll double that.
Jamie, make sure you post-date that cheque until after the referendum. You only want to pay up if Marois delivers on her promise to get the hell out.
As usual however, Marois is speaking out of both sides of her mouth. Lots of good separatist rhetoric for the PQ hard core, and not a hint of it for the business sector. Politicians usually get skewered by the voters for this kind of double-talk sooner or later.
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/stm-driver-in-induced-coma-after-assault-in-little-italy-3-suspects-on-video-1.1251493
Found this story about riding public transit while checking g out the Marois story
Quebec might well be better off alone, just like a 25 year old is better off being kicked out of his parents’ basement. Nothing like paying your own bills to force you to think and act like an adult.
“…Jamie, make sure you post-date that cheque until after the referendum. You only want to pay up if Marois delivers on her promise to get the hell out.”
Nope, I’d send it to her right away. After all, I was going to send Harper and Hudak each $100 if/when they’d promise to give us property rights, but I guess that isn’t going to happen.
Too bad Allison the Red won’t make the case that Alberta taxpayers would be wealthier if they didn’t have Quebec to support in addition to Alberta. Now that they are in the red too, perhaps they can look to Saskabush or Newfoundland for transfers. Not much incentive to be a “Have” province anymore.
I think she’s out by a factor of 10 on her estimate of the oil reserves, but I’m not telling her.
I should be king. I would make things right.
Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry…..
Bye-bye.
I’m also of the mind that the only solution to this endless nationalist Quebec day dream is to let it happen – perhaps aid it in clawing back equalization. Separation will be harsh once the ROC public teat that subsidizes the province’s dismal economy is removed and they face the co;d reality of global competition and productivity. The reality of 2013 Canada is Quebec could not survive without Canada – and tht fact has to be etched in its collective memory with some hard love.
I hope she’s able to convince them. If she has to bend the truth a bit to do that, I’m ok with that.
my only wish is for the ROC to have a referendum the day before theirs so we can have the pleasure of booting their poutine a$$es
Turn off the oil now, natural gas too.
She’s right the province would be better off by not paying for duplication of services but note that she made no mention that Quebec would be willing to say no to receiving equilization payments. Aaaahhh it must be wonderful to live in the Wonderland that she inhabits but someone needs to tell Madame Mad Hatter that she is crazy.
Another Danegeld howl for money, with the usual threat. Let them go. It would be a day Canada finally grew up. They already don’t pay for Electricity generated. Why should they pay for oil as well? Just because we all are to support them.
“Mmmm, now put your clothes back on.…no, slowly….yeah, yeah, that’s it…now, pick up the keys and open the door…yes, yes…..now walk out….don’t stop…keep going…that’s right…..now close and lock the door….ooh yeah, lock it….yes, just like that….now, slip the keys through the mail slot….oh yeah….”
Well if getting rid of both the Quebec and Montreal governments were done, she’d be right.
Ottawa could then appoint a third party manager like they do for Indian Reserves where the band government has been irresponsible.
SunnewsTV originates out of Quebecor from Quebec, so there is a glowing ember of hope there somewhere.
As I always say, if the French Canadians want to leave Canada, they know where Dorval airport is, and good riddance to them all. They’re not taking an acre of land or a drop of oil with them. English Canada does not owe them a blasted thing.
On the contrary, we have an enormous account to settle with the French Canadians—the land British veterans were fiddled out of in 1774 in favour of the French, just for starters, that they’ve squatted on ever since. The contents of the Caisse, almost all stolen from Protestant and Jewish taxpayers in every part of the Dominion, would be a suitable down-payment.
i am obliged to put up with this on a daily basis. it’s almost 40 years. lord have mercy on the criminals.
i believe i am in the midst of a time warp as in a jefferson airplane re-enactment of “white rabbit” where the red queen is well errr… uhhh… being the red queen. it’s insane.
francois legault, renounced pquiste, now leader of CAQ coalition avenir quebec or translated coalition for the future of quebec, leader of second conservative opposition in parliament (businessman – in a previous life – vice president executive of airlines air transat) keeps asking why investment in quebec has dropped 86% since the minority government under Marois (affectionately known as tante [aunt] Pauline) has taken minority position in parliament. nobody here seems to be taking notice. but i do.
canadians (not separatists, independent-ish, sovereignists or whatever the flavour of the day)in quebec need support above the hubris. and regionally, they represent more than 60% of the population.
i would suggest that we be content with the idea that this idealogical movement is not a vampire and there is no silver bullet – time will take care of these idealogues. and the horse they rode in on. crossbows with silver-tipped arrows are considered legal 🙂
“Quebec taxpayers would be wealthier if they only had one level of government to support.”
Well then I guess the municipal governments will be the winners after Marois and her freeloaders all resign!
Truth be told, with the most corrupt government ever to sit in the legislature in Edmonton, I could get behind Marois’ new idea right here in Alberta.
cal2 has the right idea, we should be able to vote the Quebecois out of Confederation.
I’ll add the stipulation that only the Quebeckers go, the land stays part of Canada as any turf won in war should.
They think they can reverse the Plains of Abraham with a vote?
Think again, Pepsis.
pepsis? i cannot exaggerate the importance of refraining from common denigrations.
this is a debate. and you have clearly lost the debate once you have nothing left but to ridicule the opponent.
i understand exactly what you meant to say but your words will be used against you in a vote.
think democracy – perception – politics – please.
if the truth be told, france bargained off quebec in favour of spice islands with great short-term commercial value in the treaty to end the war. i think this is a much more potent factual argument than the “plains” considering that the brits were trounced some day later in another confrontation. france abandoned quebec period.
lucky for the residents of quebec too, they got a democractic system of parliament. albeit, after complaining a whole lot and marching around with weapons and pitchforks and torches (see 1837).
Perhaps a statement from the Harper government is in order (ok, that’s a no-brainer).
Starting in 2014 there will be a 10% reduction in transfer payments to QC. The non-indexed transfer payment for 2015 will drop by another 10%. Same for the next several years until the reality sets in (actually should happen in the first 6 months but some of them can be stubborn buggers).
Socialism takes a beating when you have to pay your own bills.
Get out! Quebec… and take your accumulated debt with you!
And no you cannot use the Canadian dollar for your currency…
maybe you can use the Euro? Buwahhahahahahahah!
Equalization must be the most divisive policy ever cooked up by Canadian politicians. It’s time to get rid of it.
“i cannot exaggerate the importance of refraining from common denigrations.”
Not only have you not tried to exaggerate the importance, you haven’t even outlined any reason for refraining. Really, you are too full of yourself, and a poltroon as well.
Blow it out your ass, buckwheat.
Cannot exaggerate?! Who the hell talks like that anyway?
I have nothing left but to denigrate the opponent, you say? I’ve lost the debate says you? Pahshaw.
I have plenty to say and ALSO to denigrate the opponent. They are not exclusive avenues to victory. You must be very accomplished at losing to imagine otherwise. Fancy yourself to be another John McCain perhaps?
Listen-up johnny-who-doesn’t-have-enough-self-respect-to-capitalize-his-nic; whoever told you that people lose or have nothing left to say if they crap on their enemies In Addition to defeating them by other means lied to you.
“if the truth be told, france bargained off quebec in favour of spice islands with great short-term commercial value in the treaty to end the war
~johnnydumbass
France ‘bargained off’ Quebec did they? Do tell. I guess getting their asses kicked in war had nothing to do with it then.
Absent the firing of muskets, the lines of marching men, and the blood on the ground, France was planning on ‘bargaining off’ Key-bake anyhoo, huh,…just because.
lol
one can argue to you’re blue in the face (and that’s exactly what has transpired for way too long in regards to the independence movement in quebec); but politics is the art of doing what is feasible. i’m pleased to learn via your post that concrete (incremental) steps are being taken to address the transfers.
hit anyone in the pocketbook and you will have their immediate attention.
and margaret thatcher (bless her soul) would love your paraphrase.
you might want to slow down on the coffee there. i am not the enemy.
Politics is the Art of Getting Your Way; always has been, always will be.
I agree, nv53 – Canada is a Confederation of 10 provinces and three territories. Confederation, not Federation.
The people of Quebec have every right to leave as do any of the other provinces; if Quebec wants out, then they should leave the Confederation and all ties to the Confederation would be severed. The Confederation of Canada would be a foreign country, not a cash cow and both would be better off and probably better friends. It would save the ROC from being dragged down into debt and despair by the unjust redistribution of $$ taken from producers to be squandered by lazy, demanding whiners. Quebec is long past being a French protectorate (that colony – New France -passed on with Louis IV, the ‘Sun King’.
Most Western Canadians don’t know anything about Que. except that Que does not welcome anyone who is not Fwench. Why would we not resent supporting a collection of people who have never cared about us, the people forced to support them. It is not possible to reason with a group of selfish, ignorant people who consider themselves superior to their fellow Canadians; people who claim that all of the ‘other than french’ were ‘put in Canada for their convenience’. We are not their indentured servants; if we stop behaving like servants they will either grow up or leave the Confederation. It is the ROC’s call..IMO.
agreed. is there anything else you would like to IMPOSE on anyone?
Not at all, lower-case-johnny.
Don’t be butt-hurt just because I didn’t knuckle under to your attempted imposition of speech limitations.
I still love you just as much as I always did.(smooches)
~8^D
“…Quebec taxpayers would be wealthier if they only had one level of government to support….”
Hilarious, coming from a typical cochonne du trough who never saw a unionized government job done by one person that couldn’t be done better by two.
The achilles heel of the “we want to separate” argument is the federal BQ and its considerable bureacracy. Isn’t one of those hypocrites ready to fall on their career swords.
Marois will have to accomodate them one way or the other. Maybe a Quebec senate? Double the ridings in the “Assemblee Nationale”?
We can only hope. Then we wouldn’t have to learn how to say riboflavin from a cereal box. And perhaps, just perhaps, the federal civil service would be filled with the best people for the job rather than the francophone who applied for the job.
I dream, I know.
And Oz, had I had coffee in my mouth at the time, your “smooches” would have ruined my monitor.
I recall an earlier premier telling the québécois they could separate and take everything with them. The result was the rise of the Reform party and a hardening of Canada’s stance. The québécois knew the jig was up and we’ve enjoyed a generation of relative calm. They’re bluffing. They’re like the North Koreans, call them out and they back down.
Johnny’s right and Oz is wrong. The Plains of Abraham certainly did not determine the future of Quebec. France gave it away deliberately.
I lived briefly in Quebec City and I got real tired of Plains of Abraham cultists. I hear idiots talking about the Plains being “the most important battle in the history of America”. It wasn’t even the most important battle in the history of Quebec City. I try not to lapse into degradation of the battle itself, which was a magnificent feat of arms and a fitting source of pride for the forces that achieved it. But the sole consequence of it was that Quebec was put under occupation for 4 years; not the first time the city was conquered and occupied.
The French gave Quebec to the Roast Beefs? Are you nuts? Gave it to them? GAVE?!
The French never gave anything to the English, ever.
Deliberately gave it away you say.
Okay, for the sake of argument and amusement, what deliberate purpose do you say it would have served the French to give Quebec to the English if no shot had ever been fired at all?