The purpose of this post is to share a translation of an article by Mr. Mathieu Bock-Côté, published this morning in the Journal de Montréal as it is food for thought.
However, before introducing this translated article further below, Bambi would like to share the following personal comments: One of the several reasons she did not vote for our current government again is illustrated in this older cartoon by YGreck in the Journal of Québec ? about our Prime Minister. You can notice the short and clear answer in English to the right (meant for the rest of Canada). A contrast to the long, vague, and senseless answer in French to the right (as an answer to journalists from Québec). Indeed, Bambi is sensitive to congruence in politicians in both languages (especially when they speak both English and French well enough). It may tell us something about not only a hot topic (and courage) but also, and more importantly to her, about authenticity.
Well, regardless of Bill 21 (it is just an example), Bambi has always been for the respect of Québec (+ the other provinces/territories; e.g., Alberta) in an optimally functional federalism. In her mind or heart, she has always been for “a strong Québec in a united Canada”, to use a cliché. However, things seemed too “disunited” in our beautiful Canada lately, along with an extreme campaign of our mainstream media against Québec (with a total misunderstanding of Bill 21) that Bambi felt somehow pushed into finding sympathy for the Québec sovereignty movement. Can you imagine the danger of pushing things too far?
This being said, enough of Bambi’s blahblahblah now. Here is the translated article in question. Thank you Mr. Bock-Côté. It is food for thought, whether we agree or not.
https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2020/02/08/le-canada-un-pays-hostile-au-quebec
“Canada: a country hostile to Québec”
By Mathieu Bock-Côté
“Much has been said in recent days about the challenge of Bill 21 by the English-Montreal School Board and its illegal funding by the federal government, through the court challenges program – funding that the controversy has driven the EMSB to refuse.
Several, including François Legault, have accused Justin Trudeau of insulting Québeckers. Others have argued that Justin Trudeau had little to do with this decision because the program would be “independent” – such an assertion, however, deserves many nuances, including that it is ideologically very oriented.
Trudeau
It doesn’t matter whether Justin Trudeau would be personally responsible for this challenge. The main thing is elsewhere. Rather, what we need to recognize is that the federal system itself, with or without Justin Trudeau, is fundamentally hostile to Québec’s assertion. He submits it to a constitution it did not sign, to a Charter of Rights which engenders an undemocratic and multiculturalist government of judges, which demonizes and reduces us to the status of an ethnic minority in plural Canada.
Canada is a country fundamentally hostile to the people of Québec. It pushes for its political dissolution and its demographic marginalization.
Nothing that is happening right now is surprising. The great virtue of Bill 21, in some respects, is to remind Québeckers of a truth that they wanted to forget: Québec may well be made to believe that it is free to decide for itself in the federal framework. It is wrong.
Federalism
Québec must be deployed in the space that is granted for it. Let us be clear: It is politically submissive to Ottawa.
And if, sooner or later, the Supreme Court decides to suspend Bill 21, there won’t be many cards left in its game. There is a price to pay for not being independent.
What will François Legault do then?”
Thank you for your time if you are still reading this post, whether you agree with Bill 21 or not, Bambi hopes you will at least see that it is is a bill made by Québec for Québec.
To conclude this post, here are Bambi’s earlier posts on the topic:
