HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF

To all my American friends. This timless speech is as relevent today as it was in 1968. It shows that no matter how far we believe we have progressed on social issues we still lag terribly behind in creating equality for all members of our society. Peace and safety to all my friends.

RFK MINDLESS MENACE OF VIOLENCE

City Club of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio
April 5, 1968

This is a time of shame and sorrow. It is not a day for politics. I have saved this one opportunity, my only event of today, to speak briefly to you about the mindless menace of violence in America which again stains our land and every one of our lives.
 
It is not the concern of any one race. The victims of the violence are black and white, rich and poor, young and old, famous and unknown. They are, most important of all, human beings whom other human beings loved and needed. No one - no matter where he lives or what he does - can be certain who will suffer from some senseless act of bloodshed. And yet it goes on and on and on in this country of ours.
 
Why? What has violence ever accomplished? What has it ever created? No martyr's cause has ever been stilled by an assassin's bullet.

No wrongs have ever been righted by riots and civil disorders. A sniper is only a coward, not a hero; and an uncontrolled, uncontrollable mob is only the voice of madness, not the voice of reason.
 
Whenever any American's life is taken by another American unnecessarily - whether it is done in the name of the law or in the defiance of the law, by one man or a gang, in cold blood or in passion, in an attack of violence or in response to violence - whenever we tear at the fabric of the life which another man has painfully and clumsily woven for himself and his children, the whole nation is degraded.

"Among free men," said Abraham Lincoln, "there can be no successful appeal from the ballot to the bullet; and those who take such appeal are sure to lose their cause and pay the costs."

Yet we seemingly tolerate a rising level of violence that ignores our common humanity and our claims to civilization alike. We calmly accept newspaper reports of civilian slaughter in far-off lands. We glorify killing on movie and television screens and call it entertainment. We make it easy for men of all shades of sanity to acquire whatever weapons and ammunition they desire.
 
Too often we honor swagger and bluster and wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach non-violence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them.
 
Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleansing of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.

For there is another kind of violence, slower but just as deadly destructive as the shot or the bomb in the night. This is the violence of institutions; indifference and inaction and slow decay. This is the violence that afflicts the poor, that poisons relations between men because their skin has different colors. This is the slow destruction of a child by hunger, and schools without books and homes without heat in the winter.

This is the breaking of a man's spirit by denying him the chance to stand as a father and as a man among other men. And this too afflicts us all.

I have not come here to propose a set of specific remedies nor is there a single set. For a broad and adequate outline we know what must be done. When you teach a man to hate and fear his brother, when you teach that he is a lesser man because of his color or his beliefs or the policies he pursues, when you teach that those who differ from you threaten your freedom or your job or your family, then you also learn to confront others not as fellow citizens but as enemies, to be met not with cooperation but with conquest; to be subjugated and mastered.
 
We learn, at the last, to look at our brothers as aliens, men with whom we share a city, but not a community; men bound to us in common dwelling, but not in common effort. We learn to share only a common fear, only a common desire to retreat from each other, only a common impulse to meet disagreement with force. For all this, there are no final answers.
 
Yet we know what we must do. It is to achieve true justice among our fellow citizens. The question is not what programs we should seek to enact. The question is whether we can find in our own midst and in our own hearts that leadership of humane purpose that will recognize the terrible truths of our existence.

We must admit the vanity of our false distinctions among men and learn to find our own advancement in the search for the advancement of others. We must admit in ourselves that our own children's future cannot be built on the misfortunes of others. We must recognize that this short life can neither be ennobled or enriched by hatred or revenge.

Our lives on this planet are too short and the work to be done too great to let this spirit flourish any longer in our land. Of course we cannot vanquish it with a program, nor with a resolution.
But we can perhaps remember, if only for a time, that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as do we, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.
Surely, this bond of common faith, this bond of common goal, can begin to teach us something. Surely, we can learn, at least, to look at those around us as fellow men, and surely we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us and to become in our own hearts brothers and countrymen once again.

It is sad that in todays society, with all our technelogical advances. With the tools & gadgets we have created to "improve our lives" that we have forgotten the one essential element required to be better as a species. Love and compasion for our fellow man & women.

HOW ARE YOU?

Since the tragic news of Robin Williams death by suicide, I felt it would be appropriate to re-post this blog I wrote back in January during Mental health week titled ''How are you'' As many of you close to me know, this is a topic very true to my heart and of significant importance to me. All of us can play a role in dealing face to face with this disease. It matters not if you are a sufferer, the terrible thing about mental illness is that it can affect ANYONE. No, you are not immune, to strong, to tough, etc...it is no different then any other illness. Have a read;  here it is again.

How are you? A question asked to us and by us, numerous times a day, almost every day. A question we ask our family members, our loved ones, our co-workers and often the first three words after hello that we ask when meeting a new acquaintance. What do those three words really mean? Do they have any value in a society now driven and primarily controlled by technology? Do you genuinely care when you ask the question? Is it really of much interest to you what the person replies back or what you reply when asked? After all, the general response is, ''fine, thank you''. Followed by them asking the same question of you and you responding the same way. On occasion ( especially those close to us) you might here in response to that question, '' like crap'', ''not so good'', ''been better'', ''not feeling well''. Do those responses garnish any more inquiry on your part? Or do you just generally say, '' that's to bad'', '' that sucks'' or '' well hope you feel better''. What if the person who answered you that, has no idea what to do to feel better?

He gets up every morning, it is a struggle. A battle to lift his legs over the edge of the bed and place his feet on the ground. He pauses there for a long time trying to figure out the right thing to tell himself to propel him upwards and forwards. When he finally does, he feels like his body is covered in molasses. Like his feet are stuck in quick sand. He stands in front of the bathroom mirror but he cannot see himself. He only sees a blank face staring back, like looking at a department store mannequin. He gets dressed, he cannot even remember what he wore the day before, he does not care. Downstairs he finds his family around the breakfast table. They are happy to see him. He does not know what he is when he sees them. They make small talk, he struggle to feel normal, to feel like he belongs. He tries to care about what they are saying but he is lost. The space he occupies feels like being in a row boat on the ocean. The seas are brutally rough and he feels like he is just clinging on for dear life. He gets in his car. It takes him 5 minutes before he turns the key. He sits in his garage with the door closed and wonders how long it would take for the carbon monoxide to put him to sleep if he just left the car running with the garage door down. Finally he opens the door and looks down the driveway but wonders which way he should turn this morning. As he drives he sees trees, he thinks about hanging himself. He sees those giant billboards towering high in the sky and wonders if they lock the ladders to the top of them. He thinks of throwing himself off of one. He passes a large semi trailer truck and wonders if his cars air bags would stop him from being killed is he turned the wheels into the front of the oncoming truck. He makes it to work. He goes into the office. A co-workers asks, ''hey, how are you today''? He responds, '' not so good'' the co worker states, '' that's to bad'' This man could be your grandfather, father, husband, brother, uncle, friend, your co-worker. Today he might not make it home.

She looks at herself in the mirror and feels fat. She feels ugly, disgusting, disproportionate. She is 5ft 6 inches tall and weighs 100 pounds. She is starving herself to death. She loves food, or hates food, she is no longer sure. She glances over at the Cosmo magazine on the bathroom toilet seat. She sees a model flaunting the latest sexy lingerie. She wants to be that. She wants to be her. She wants to look like her. She kneels down in front of the toilet, puts the magazine on the floor, lifts the seat and sticks her fingers down her throat till she has emptied her morning breakfast before it even had a chance to get to its intended destination. She wipes her face, she brushes her teeth, she fills her mouth with Listerine till she cannot take another drop. She holds it in her mouth, she feels like her gums are on fire. Finally she convinces herself to expel it from her mouth. She goes into her closet, everything she tries on is to small, to small because she believes her body is to fat. Nothing fits the way it is supposed to. Nothing makes her look like those models she saw last week in the mall fashion show. She tears up a shirt she bought only two weeks ago. Her friends tell her she looks great, that they wish they could be slim like her. That they could be a size zero too. She takes no joy in their comments, she feels fat. She knows what she has to do. She has to keep getting smaller. It is the only way she can feel whole. Her friends meet her for lunch, they ask her, ''how are you doing'' she responds, '' I feel gross today'', they respond, '' hell, you look fantastic''. She orders a salad, no dressing, and a glass of water. It does not matter though she has already spied the restaurant washroom and knows exactly where she will be going right after lunch. This woman could be your grandmother, mother, wife, sister, aunt, friend, or your co-worker. Sooner then later she is going to wilt away.

He could run like the wind. He was fast, no not fast; he was lightning. He knew he was headed for the big time. An athlete every major school wanted on their team. He craved the attention, he loved the spot light he wanted everyone to know his name. The pills helped him do that, they made him stronger, faster, smarter. He cannot remember when he first started taking them. He only remembers that he was slower then. He did not perform as well. Now he cannot live without them. They are his crutch,  a trampoline, they are his ticket to stardom. He will not relinquish them. He cannot remember the last time he had fun. The last time he savoured victory with a clear conscious and a true heart. He does not even know who he is. Everyone tells him he is great, the best, awesome, incredible, he does not know anything else. He does not know who he is. He will keep taking the pills, his mind and body need them. His family needs for him to succeed, to go on to better things, to improve everyones quality of life. The whole thing is riding on his shoulders. He cannot fail, he will not fail. He sits in the locker room alone. He has already been there practicing an hour before the scheduled practice. He goes into the bathroom stall, he pulls out his sandwich bag. He takes 4 different pills and drops them one by one into his mouth. He hears some of his team mates arriving for practice he stuffs the bag into his track pants. As he enters the locker room a team mate yells, ''Hey how are you?'' he responds, ''I've been better''. The team mate responds, ''hey, man up buddy'' This boy could be your son, brother,  nephew, Grandson, friend, or your class mate. Those pills will eventually destroy his mind and his life.

She wants to be part of the crowd. She wants so much to belong. She is being tormented. she has been bullied since 3rd grade. When she first got glasses. It has never stopped since. She has been bullied at school, on the way home, in the bus, by e-mail, and social web sites. She has no place of refuge. She know only fear and despair. There is no sanctuary, no place to hide. She feels exposed, all the time. She wants to be part of the group, she wants them to accept her. She has no idea how. Her mind tells her to do and act one way and her heart another. She struggle to find stability. Know one around her knows what she is going through. The school officials are all to busy patting themselves on the back for their bullying work shops and flyer's to even remotely care about her. She has convinced herself Her parents would not understand if she tried to explain it. She is intelligent, she is pretty, she is athletic. No one would understand how see wants out, how she believes the only way to save herself is to end herself. She wants help but know one understands that she does not know how to ask for it. The teacher in drama class sees the girl in class and asks, '' how are you doing today'' the girl responds, '' a little lost'' the teacher responds ''  maybe you need a map'' This girl could be your daughter, your sister, your niece, your friend, your co-worker or class mate. Soon she might decide that the end is better then a new beginning.

All of these individuals are victims of some form of mental illness brought on by varying factors and environment. Sometimes that illness manifest itself for unknown reasons. Other times it it brought on by drugs, bullying, post traumatic stress, or the social environment the person finds them self in. It can be caused by many other factors. It is clear that no matter how much has been done to diminish the stigma of mental illness it still keeps hundreds of thousands of sufferers in the shadows. It is ironic that no one questions the cancer patient who smokes 2 packs of cigarettes a day, or the heart disease patient who drinks and eats way to much of all of what is not good for you. Yet if someone has a mental illness, perhaps brought on by drugs, or bullying or any other factor, many in our society judge them and take out their righteousness on them. Often you will hear them called weak, feeble, fakers. That they lack character or the ability to face the world. That the illness is all their fault. Well people it is not their faults. These are human beings who play a large factor in numerous people lives and contribute enormously to our society. They are victims of an illness. No different then any other illness you go to your doctor or local emergency room to have treated.

Mental illness deprives all of society of talent. It deprives it of individuals who could make a difference, who could make the world a better place. In Canada alone it is estimated that there were over 3,700 people aged 15 to 90 who committed suicide in 2011 ( Stats Canada). This number has remained static or unchanged since 2007. There is no telling how many of these suicides are directly attributable to mental illness. However it is safe to say the vast majority. This number does not count accidental overdoses of drugs, eating disorders or other events not directly attributed to mental illness but should be. The bottom line is this. The only way to stop mental illness from claiming those we care about and love is to make it socially acceptable to acknowledge that it is a problem that anyone can suffer from. That it can affect anyone. Don' t think so. Think again. I myself am speaking from first hand experience when I say anyone can become mentally distressed or ill. It is not a crime, it is not shameful. it does not make the person weak or any other stigma some people try to attach to it. These illnesses can in general be treated, the same way we treat all other serious diseases. People who suffer from mental illness and do get help, almost always end up getting better. Allowing them to continue to be active and important members of our society. These individuals want nothing more then to see the light, to find their way out. They simply need help getting there. No one needs to be lost to this disease. We can fix it.

This week is mental health awareness week in Canada. So next time someone asks you,'' how you are'' do not be afraid to tell them the truth. If you ask someone, ''how they are'' and you get a response like one of the ones in this article; perhaps take 5 minutes out of your busy day to ask more questions and get more information. You might possibly be the difference in that person making it to the next day, week, month or year. The 5 minutes of listening could be worth 50 years of life.........think about it.

Québec mental health hotline 1-866-277-3553
Ontario mental health hotline 1-866-531-2600
Alberta mental health hotline 1-877-303-2642



British Columbia mental health hotline 1-800-661-2121
New Brunswick mental health hotline 1-800-667-5005
Nova Scotia mental health hotline 1-877-521-1188
All other province numbers can be found on the Internet by typing ''Mental health hotline ( province name)'' into any search engine

THE WRONG BUTTON

Not quite sure what it is lately but everyday I get the feeling that we are headed imminently towards our own demise. Perhaps it is just me. Perhaps my age is causing me to see and interpret the on goings of the world in a different fashion from the way I did when I was in my late teens or into my 20's. I certainly have no real reason to believe that anything today is worst then it was in the past. I grew up in a rather tumultuous period in history. At Fifteen years old the world was in the height of ''Phase II'' of the cold war. The Nuclear arms race had spiraled out of control. This culminated in 1985 when I was twenty years old; with both Russia and the United States holding a staggering 21,000 warheads for an equivalent of 12,300 mega tonnes between them. Back then neither of these two countries liked each other much. Even with all of this though, I never had any sense of impending doom. I always believed even at that young age (15 to 20) that more rational heads would prevail and that disaster would be avoided. This played out positively in 1986 when the US and Russia agreed to reduce by 50% their nuclear arsenals. This optimism continued as the Berlin Wall came down in November of 1989 and the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. So what is it about the times we are now living in that gives me a bad feeling every morning.

Perhaps its to many doomsday or alien invasion movies, or to many Walking Dead episodes, or to many religious predictions of the impending end. No. That's not it. Its not even anything to do with nuclear rogue countries such as North Korea or Iran procuring their own arsenal. Or the evolution of China into a predominant super power. Or even the recent resurgence of the Russian military machine. Its none of that. Its something I cannot put my finger on. I have never been a doomsday prophecy advocate. I generally laugh off the latest claims of the impending end and continue about my business. This time though, these present times; I get the feeling we are standing on the edge of an envelope. Teetering precariously.  Its a feeling. A feeling that mankind is racing, ''itself'' towards the end. Now one might look around at the astronomical advancements in our technology and believe that we are simply racing to a better, more structured world & life. I have a hard time sharing this sentiment. Recently I read a book called ''What Should We Be Worried About?`` (Real Scenarios that keep Scientists up at night). The book is an interesting read but one of the passages that most intrigued me and probably best captured why I have been feeling the way I do is following piece titled, ''The Rise of Anti-intellectualism and the end of Progress'' it basically describes that through our history, civilizations have failed and when this happened the torch of progress was always passed to a new region of the world. The problem now is we live and are living in a single global civilization and if it fails, we all fail together. The pretext of what is found in this passage for me simply defines that we as a society, as humanity have to start to realize: The technology that unites us can also hurt us collectively. There is no more ''their failure'' if something big fails we are all going to fail.

The failure I am contemplating is not the,'' mad man pushes the button in a brief case and blows up the world'' scenario. It is the little by little, not so noticeable infringement into all aspects of our lives of ''things'' we actually believe are good for us. Or more aptly believe we control. We have become too well trained in anticipating the next technological advancements which we are convinced will improve the mastery over our daily lives, our health or our well being. All the while, events are unfolding in our ''natural'' environment, results of these advancements which capture little or no public attention. Combined with this are individuals, corporations and groups who are using evolving technology to make advancements in genetics, robotics, medicine, drugs, food supply and many other areas without really having full control over what they are trying to, ''invent/create''. Whenever they are challenged on their control and understanding of these advancements their reaction is normally a brush off and accusations of alarmists wanting to hold back mankind. These dismissals are thrown about with ease and accepted as rule by the masses. Are there alarmists out there? Absolutely! Are some of their fears warranted? Probably. What concerns me the most though is that the principle, ''anything mankind does wrong we can simply fix'' still prevails. The problem with this ideology is the emergence of the ''ingenuity gap''. This was demonstrated on a global scale by events such as; Chernobyl,The Fukushima Daiichi, Japan, Nuclear Meltdown, BP Plc's, deep sea Macondo oil spill , and most recently the MH370 flight. In all of these cases we witnessed mankind's advancements and superior technology fail. Yet when faced with having to repair it or understand why it failed took a prolonged period. Hence causing devastating impact on people, the economy and the environment. One might argue two things. One: Throughout history mankind has always faced these types of problems/challenges. Two: The problems/challenges which we were faced with  ''eventually'' were fixed. They would be partially right in both cases with a glaring exception. The mastery over such problems/challenges has always been within arms reach of our control. We were never leaps and bounds out front of ourselves. This is no longer true. The advancements being achieved are exceeding even the brightest minds we have. The masses are simply being left powerless and in the dark.

Such has become the reality of our daily lives. We believe because we master our smart phones, the internet, a GPS and other technology we encounter each day that we are ''in the know''. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is; perhaps as little as 2% of people actually truly understands how that technology is created and truly ''functions''. Even less know how to fix it if it goes haywire. In the not so distant future someone somewhere is going to push the wrong button, mix the wrong combination of bacteria, cross two wrong wires and mankind will never be the same. Be it the creation of a super virus, technology becoming self aware, Nano technology gone berserk or simply the innovation of some type of ''new'' phenomenon. Sooner then later some well, or not so well meaning individual, corporation or group will unleash a torrent onto humanity for which we lack the ''ingenuity'' to control or fix. The likelihood of this coming to fruition in greater then 50%. It is greater a percentage then our intellectual capacity to solve can afford. We will come up against a wall. It is getting much closer then you might know. Everyday the common person struggles with the simplest of technology now available to them. Now imagine them trying to deal with one they know nothing at all about or have the slightest clue of how to control. Yes there has always been a fear of the unknown. We have seen it throughout history. The fundamental difference here is the speed at which technological evolution is taking place. Humanity has reacted in the past...rather slowly...in the new reality, lack of speed spells the end.

One day in the not so distant future you might just wake up, go to have a shower and the water doesn't come on. You will get dressed, go down stairs and turn on the TV but the electricity will be off, You will muster something together for breakfast, head out to the driveway to go to work and find that your car won't start. You will try your cell phone but it doesn't work. You'll notice that the streets seem peculiarly empty.....sound like a apocalyptic TV episode? Or the begin of a Doomsday movie? Only problem is its not a movie, nor the beginning of anything. But it might be the end of everything. Or it could just be me feeling a personal sense of doom which I am projecting out onto the world. Lets hope its that.

LE FIN....POUR MAINTENANT

Mes propres prévisions étaient loin. 3 jours avant l'élection, j'ai prédit un gouvernement minoritaire libéral due a l'augmentation d'appui de la CAQ. J'avais prédit 32 sièges pour le PQ. Ils se sont retrouvés avec 30. Je croyais que le PLQ obtiendrait 55 sièges, ils ont eu 70 et la CAQ terminé avec 22 où j'avais prédit 34. Autre que la façon dont le PQ a terminé j'ai clairement sous-estimé comment les Québécois aller votez.

Donc, il se termine. La menace de la souveraineté qui a causer la peur dans le cœur des Anglos et Franco fédéraliste. L'introduction d'une Charte des Valeurs qui a causer la peur dans le coeur des immigrants nouvellement arriver au Québec et ceux qui sont ici depuis des siècles... tout est parti la nuit dernière ... pour au moins 4 ans. La nuit dernière, les gens de Québec ont parlé et ont décidé qu'ils ne seraient pas à vivre dans la peur ni dans un environnement de division. Au grand soulagement de beaucoup, le PQ a été réduite à ses numéros les plus bas en 30 ans. Son chef Mme. Marois incapable de conserver son propre siège à l'Assemblée. Marque donc la fin de 18 mois de pouvoir. Peut-être plus important encore, elle marque la fin du PQ que nous sommes habitue a voir. Mais c'est pour un blog plus tard.

Aujourd'hui, la province se réveille à un gouvernement majoritaire libéral. Un Parti qui a régné de 2003 à 2012. Celui qui a réussi à créer un niveau d'harmonie économique, culturelle et linguistique. Dans le même temps, il a été entachée par des scandales; corruption de ses fonctionnaires liés à des gains politiques. Il a également dû faire face à la révolte des étudiants qui a vu la province paralysée pendant de nombreux mois au printemps de 2012 obligeant les libéraux à présenter le projet de loi controversé 78. Tout ca en fin de compte a conduit à la convocation de l'élection de 2012. Cet election qui a vu les libéraux perdre leur emprise sur le pouvoir et terminee la carrière politique de son chef Jean Charest. Aujourd'hui, avec le nouveau chef Philippe Couillard, les libéraux commencent à nouveau. Les prochains mois vont voir la Commission Charbonneau et UPAC continue leur travail dans l'étude de la corruption dans l'industrie de la construction; une région où les libéraux sont sensibles et peut etre faible.

Qu'est-ce que les résultats de ces élections disent? Bien tous les libéraux avant de commence a célébrer trop forte la victoire doit garder cela à l'esprit. 60 % des électeurs québécois n'ont pas voté pour les libéraux . Il y a un message dans ca. Il est claire . Les Québécois plus que jamais sont divisés sur le direction que prend cette province. Ce que l'un ou l'autre partie essayer de vendre, l'acheteur n'est pas intéressé à acheter . Les Québécois ont tendance à voter contre quelque chose, pas pour quelque chose . Il y a un courant sous-jacent de l'insatisfaction avec la gestion de la province. Il n'a aucun doute que les gens sont en difficulté. L'économie n'est pas forte, d'autres problèmes sociaux tels que les soins de santé , de l'éducation et de la dette pèsent lourdement sur les esprits des électeurs . Il y a ceux qui peuvent légitimement prétendre que les libéraux ont gagné par défaut . C'est la résurrection par le PQ du référendum et leur tentative infortunée d'introduire la Charte des Valeurs qui a poussé bon nombre de ces électeurs désabusés plus loin de la partie. La CAQ qui a fait une vaillante poussée dans les 10 derniers jours de l'élection sur le sillage de leur chef François Legault manque encore l'équipe de base pour convaincre les électeurs qu'ils méritent rien de plus alors 24 % du soutien populaire . QS joué aucun rôle ou un autre , puis à solidifier sa position dans deux quartiers très clairement définis où les résidents là-bas soutiennent la souveraineté . Ils ont également réussi à glisser un siège supplémentaire par 91 voix . Tout cela mènent les libéraux à la position de pouvoir . Ce n'était pas en raison de leur plate-forme ou le charisme de son leader . Pour les partisans libéraux de croire quoi que ce soit d'autre serait une erreur de leur part .

 Il y a tu des messages qui ont été entendus haut et fort dans cette Election? Absolument! Il a également été décevant d'entendre les membres de la PQ demontre revendication ignorance pour expliquer pourquoi ils ont été décimés quand les résultats des élections sont devenues évidentes . Car c'est cette ignorance elle-même qui conduit les électeurs à envoyer les messages les plus clairs de la soirée . Malheureusement, le PQ ne semble pas avoir compris le message et ce sera son plus grand défi en se reconstruire . Pour la benefice des politiciens péquistes et leurs partisans militants; voici es principaux messages de la soirée .


* 70 % de la population ne s'intéresse pas à un référendum ou à toute discussion entourant la souveraineté .

* Votre charte des valeurs a été vu pour exactement ce que c'était . Une charte destinée à assimiler toute personne qui n'était pas blanc , parlant français et chrétien . Dans le but ultime de créer un environnement gagnant pour un référendum .

* Les gens veulent la coopération fédérale-provinciale sur les questions qui les touchent le plus . Ils ne veulent pas d'une guerre de mots et de postures avec les Feds , ils veulent des actions concrètes et des résultats .

* Les gens voulaient savoir comment vous alliez agir sur des questions comme l'économie , l'éducation , les soins de santé , de la dette et d'autres questions sociales pressantes.

Donc quatre années de règne libéral commence aujourd'hui. Voici une petite mise en garde pour les partisans libéraux. Les prochaines années ne seront pas faciles. Québec est fortement divisée. Il faudra un énorme travail , un homme d'Etat et le navire bipartisan pour redresser ce bateau . Les libéraux vont se faire ternie par la Commission Charbonneau et UPAC qui conduira à encore moins confiance dans les Politiciens qui détiennent le pouvoir aujourd'hui . L'économie de cette province mérite une attention sérieuse comme le font les nombreuse questions sociales . Nous ne pouvons plus permettre de '' charger '' le coût et le transmettre aux générations futures. En fin de compte la province est en faillite . Ca va prendre des décisions douloureuses et les mesures pour mettre la province dans une direction financière positive. Il n'y a pas de raccourci ici ou miracle correctif. Les défis aux quels fait face le Parti libéral et son chef sont immenses . Durant le temps que les libéraux sont au travail pour regler et résoudre les problèmes le PQ sera la sa reconstruction lentement. Il aura 4 ans pour définir sa nouvelle image . Toute personne qui les radie n'a pas vécu au Québec pendant assez longtemps. Pendant ce même temps, la CAQ va essayer de construire la confiance avec l'électeur pour montrer qu'en effet ils pourraient être une option légitime pour un futur gouvernement .


Les libéraux sont mieux de prendre note que durant les 4 prochaines années, 60 % de la population les surveiller de très près en attendant 2018 .

SO IT ENDS....FOR NOW

My own predictions were far off. 3 days before the election I predicted a Liberal Minority Government caused by a surge in support for the CAQ. I had predicted 32 seats for the PQ. They ended up with 30. I believed the PLQ would get 55 seats they secured 70 and the CAQ finished with 22 where I had predicted 34. Other than how the PQ finished I clearly underestimated how Quebecers would vote.

So it ends. The Sovereignty threat that struck fear in the hearts of Anglos and French Federalist. The Introduction of a ''Values Charter'' that struck fear in the heart of immigrants recently landed in Quebec and those who have been here for centuries all went away last night...for at least 4 years. Last night the people of Quebec spoke and decided that they to would not live in fear nor in a divisive environment. To the great relief of many the PQ was reduced to its lowest numbers in 30 years. Its leader Mme. Marois unable to retain her own seat in the Assembly. So marks the end of 18 months of power. Perhaps more importantly it marks the end of the PQ as we have know it. But that is for a later Blog.

Today the Province awakes to a Majority Liberal government one which ruled from 2003-2012. One which succeeded in creating a level of economic, cultural and linguistic harmony. At the same time it was marred by scandals surrounding corruptions of its officials related to political payouts and kickbacks. It also had to deal with the Student uprising which saw the province paralyzed for numerous months in the spring of 2012 forcing the Liberals to introduce controversial Bill 78. All of this ultimately lead to the calling of the 2012 election. Which saw the Liberals lose their grip on power and brought the political career of its then leader Jean Charest to an end. Today with the new Leader Philippe Couillard the Liberals begin anew. The next few months will be trying as the Commission Charbonneau and UPAC continues their work in studying corruption in the Construction industry; an area where the Liberals are susceptible to scrutiny.

What do these election results say. Well before all the Liberal supports get to carried away with the victory keep this in mind. 60% of Quebec voters did not vote for the Liberals. There is a message in this. It is a clear one. Quebecers more then ever are divided about the direction of this province. That what one party or the other has to sell the buyer is not interested in purchasing. Quebecers have a tendency to vote against something, not for something. There is an underlying current of dissatisfaction with the direction the province is going. There is no doubt that people are struggling. The economy is not strong, other social issues such as Health care, Education and the Debt weigh heavily on the voters minds. There are those who can justifiably claim that the Liberals won by default. That the PQ's resurrection of the Referendum and their ill fated attempt to introduce the Charter of Values pushed many of those disillusioned voters further away from the Party. The CAQ who made a valiant push in the last 10 days of the election on the coat tails of their leader Francois Legault still lack the core team to convince voters that they deserve anything more then 24% of popular support. QS played little or no role other then solidifying its position in 2 very clearly defined districts where the residents there support sovereignty. They also managed to slid out an additional seat by 91 votes. All of this lead the Liberals to the position of power. It was not as a result of their platform or the charisma of its leader. For liberal supporters to believe anything else would be a mistake on their part.

Were there messages that were heard loud and clear? Absolutely! It was also disappointing to here Members of the PQ claim ignorance as to why they were being decimated as the election results became obvious. For it is this ignorance itself which lead to voters sending the clearest messages of the evening. Unfortunately the PQ did not seem to be getting the message and this will be its biggest challenge in rebuilding itself. For the sake of those PQ Politicians and their Militant supporters here were the biggest messages of the evening.

*  70% of the population is not interested in a referendum or any discussion surrounding Sovereignty.
* Your Charter of Values was seen for exactly what it was. A Charter designed to assimilate anyone who was not white, french speaking, and christian. With the ultimate goal of creating a winning environment for a referendum.
* People want federal Provincial cooperation on issues which most affect them. They do not want a war of words and posturing with the Feds, they want concrete action and results.
* People wanted to know how you were going to act on issues like the economy, education, health care, debt and other pressing social issues.

So 4 years of Liberal rule begins today. Here is a little cautionary note to the Liberal supporters. The next years will not be easy. Quebec is strongly divided. it will take enormous work, statesmanship and bipartisan ship to right this boat. The Liberals are going to get tarnished by the Charbonneau Commission and UPAC which will lead to even less trust in the Politicians who now hold power. The Economy in this province needs serious attention as do Social issues. No longer can we afford to ''charge'' the cost and pass it along to future generations. For all intended purpose the province is bankrupt. It will take painful decisions and measures to set the province back in a positive financial direction. There is no short cut here or miracle fix. The challenges facing the Liberal Party and its leader are massive. All the while that the Liberals are working and struggling to fix the issues the PQ will be slowly rebuilding. It will have 4 years to define its new image. Anyone who writes them off has not been living in Quebec for long enough. During that same time the CAQ will try to build confidence with the voter to show that indeed they could be a legitimate option for a future government.

Liberals are best to take note that during the next 4 years that 60% of the population will be watching very closely and waiting for 2018.

PREDICTION DES RESULTATS DE L'ELECTION QUEBEC 2014

Voilà. Tous les sondages, les prévisions des experts, des médias, des journalistes et ainsi de suite, sont maintenant faits. Alors juste pour en ajouter un autre, voici comment je prédis que l'élection va se jouer la soirée du 7 avril. Je crois qu'il va avoir beaucoup de monde qui seront supris par les resultats. Vous viendrez revoir le degré de mes prédictions ou comment loin j'étais de la réalité.

JE PRÉDIS UN GOUVERNEMENT LIBÉRAL MINORITAIRE 

VOICI LE BILAN DE L'ASSEMBLÉE NATIONALE DU QUÉBEC AU MOMENT DU DÉCLANCHEMENT DES ELECTIONS EN MARS 2014 
AVEC LES PREDICTIONS DES RÉSULTATS FINAUX LE 7 AVRIL

PRÉDICTION PAR DISTRICT

PAS DE MAJORITÉ POUR PERSONNE '' LE PRINCIPE''

Mon sentiment est que les chiffres seront faussés de manière significative. Je ne crois pas à ce point que le PQ sera décimé. Ils seront réduits de manière significative à partir de leur nombre précédent de sièges de 54. Mais je ne crois pas qu'ils seront rayés de la carte politique comme le voudrait de nombreux militants d'autres partis. Je crois à cela pour deux raisons précises :

1.  L'incertitude existe toujours concernant la fiabilité du Parti libéral et les scandales de corruption qui continuent à l'entourer. C'est ce que je crois qui fera hésiter le vote du public pour donner un mandat majoritaire aux Libéraux .

2 . Le manque de conviction global de la part des électeurs que la CAQ pourrait former un nouveau gouvernement . Leur manque d'expérience et le ''one man show'' de Legault rend très peu probable que suffisamment de la population mettrait la CAQ au pouvoir .

Il ne fait aucun doute que cette campagne électorale a été difficile à lire et à prévoir. Au moment où vous pensez qu'une tendance se développe, il semble qu'elle s'en aille dans le sens opposé. De nombreuses variations dans les règles du jeu politique ont fait en sorte que l'électeur n'est pas convaincu à 100% de son choix et cela, à seulement quelques jours du vote.

LA SURPRISE DU MAGICIEN :

Elle est très peu probable, mais M. Legault et la CAQ l'espèrent. On pourrait faire référence à la situation comme à l'effet ''Jack Layton'' ou ''l'extinction du Bloc''. C'est là que le NPD fédéral avait essentiellement effacé le Bloc Québécois de la carte lors de l'élection fédérale canadienne de 2011. Il y en a beaucoup dans la CAQ qui espèrent que suffisamment des électeurs du Québec en ont assez de la ''même vielle garde libarale et péquiste'' et qu'ils voudront redéfinir le paysage politique du Québec. Il y a toujours une possibilité que cela se produise, mais je sens que l'enracinement de la vieille garde libérale et péquiste ne sera pas prête à aller aussi loin que de mettre la CAQ au pouvoir. Le Bloc existait depuis 21 ans avant les événements catastrophiques de 2011. En réalité, leur influence et leur poids sur la scène fédérale avaient rendu Québec pratiquement invisible sur la scène politique fédérale. La probabilité que cela se produise lors de l'élection provinciale est moins forte en raison du fait de la CAQ a eu peu d'influence sur la politique actuelle et est actif que depuis 2011, ce qui represente un simple enfant dans la vie politique .

LA SURPRISE DU MAGICIEN PARTIE II

Les Québécois en ont assez des discussion portant sur le référendum, la séparation et la fameuse ''Charte des Valeurs''. Ils sont fatigués du même vieux Parti Québécois. Ils ne veulent plus discuter des questions entourant la séparation et veulent un foyer à plein temps sur l'économie, la dette, l'éducation, les soins de santé, etc. Si tout celà était vrai, le PQ pourrait se retrouver avec le moins de sièges de toute son histoire, donc moins de sièges que ce que j'ai prédit. Si les électeurs réguliers du parti québécois délaissaient ce dernier, ce sera davantage en faveur de la CAQ que du parti libéral. Pour certaines courses serrées cependant, ceci pourrait donner un avantage aux libéraux, pouvant leur permettre utlimement de former un gournervement majoritaire. Je crois cependant que cela est peu probable.

DERNIER MOT: 

Eh bien, vous avez le dernier mot. Donc, peu importe le résultat, utilisez votre privilège démocratique et allez voter pour le parti qui représente le mieux vos valeurs et idéaux. C'est une occasion que personne ne devrait prendre pour acquis.

MY 2014 QUEBEC ELECTION PREDICTION

So much for all the polls, predictions from the pundits, media, journalist and so on. Just to add another 10 cents to the process here is how I predict the election will play out on the evening of April 7th. I believe it will not go as many are predicting. Check back to see how accurate or far off I was.


I PREDICT A MINORITY LIBERAL GOVERNMENT

SNAP SHOT OF QUEBEC NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AT ELECTION CALL MARCH 2014
WITH FINAL 2014 ELECTION PREDICTIONS;

THE BREAKDOWN BY DISTRICT:

THE NO MAJORITY PRINCIPLE

My feeling is that the numbers will be significantly skewed. I do not believe at this point that the PQ will be decimated. They will be significantly reduced from their previous seat number of 54. At this point however I do not believe they will be wiped off the political map as many militants from other parties had hoped for. I believe this for two specific reasons:

1. The remaining uncertainty of the trustworthiness of the Liberal Party and the corruption scandals which continue to surrounded it. This I believe will cause hesitancy in the voting public to give a majority mandate to the Liberals.

2. The lack of overall conviction on the part of the electors that the CAQ could form a new government. Their lack of experience and the ''one man show'' of Legault makes it highly unlikely that enough of the population would put the CAQ into power.

There is no doubt that this election campaign has been a difficult one to read and predict. Just when you think a trend is developing it seems to go the opposite way. To many variances in the political playing field has made it so the elector has not come to a 100% convinced choice and this only days from the vote.

THE CAT IN THE HAT POSSIBILITY:

This is a long shot but one M. Legault and the CAQ are hoping for. One could more commonly refer to it as the ''Jack Layton'' effect or the ''Bloc extinction'' event. This is where the Federal NDP basically erased the Bloc Quebecois from the Map in the 2011 Canadian Federal Election. There are many in the CAQ who are hoping that enough of the Quebec electors are fed up with the ''same old, same old'' and will make a move to redefine the Quebec political landscape. There is always a possibility of this happening but I feel the entrenchment of old liberal and PQ guard will not be willing to go as far as to put the CAQ into power. The BLOC had only been in existence for 21 years before the disastrous events of 2011. In all reality their influence and weight in the Federal arena had rendered Quebec virtually invisible on the Federal Political scene. The likely hood of this occurring in the Provincial election is less likely due to the fact the CAQ has had little influence on current policy and has only been active since 2011 which is a mere infant in political life.

THE CAT IN THE HAT POSSIBILITY PART II

Quebecers have had enough of Referendums, separation, and the famous ''Charte des valeurs'' (Values Charter). That they are tired of the same old Parti Quebecois. That they no longer want to discuss issues surrounding separation and want a focus full time on the economy, debt, education, health care, etc.. If this was to truly play out the PQ could find themselves with less seats then at any time since their existence and much fewer seats then I have predicted here. If there is a mass exodus from the party this will play more in favor of the CAQ then the Liberals. This however could push tight races into the Liberals hands allowing them to form a slight majority government. I believe this is unlikely.

FINAL WORD:

Well you actually have the final word. So no matter what the outcome use your democratic privilege and go out and vote for whoever best represents your values and ideals. It is an opportunity no one should take for granted.

LONG LONG WAY TO GO

Phil Collins once sang;

While we're sitting and we talk and talk and we talk some more
Someone's loved one's heart stops beating in a street somewhere
So it would seem we've still got a long long way to go, I know
I've heard all I wanna hear today.

One might have though listening to him sing, he was actually watching the 2014 Provincial Election Campaign here in Quebec. I believe many of us feel the same sentiments as those expressed by Collins. As we have quickly jumped ahead as a technological society we have left behind the true issues of our humanity. The key words of this campaign have been; Corruption, Sovereignty, Charters, Bigotry, Intolerance, Assimilation. Few words have been spoken about what really matters; Debt, Education, Jobs, Economy, Health Care,Seniors care or the Environment. When they have been, they were simply drowned out and lost in the sea of noise and attention being given to the key words. Yes it seems we talk and talk and talk some more but not about the things that should really matter right now and most importantly to the future. If your in doubt consider how much you have heard about the following subjects and the amount of attention they have received;

* Relative to the size of its economy, Quebec is the most indebted province in Canada by a wide margin. Quebec's net direct debt is $175.5 billion in 2012-13. That amounts to $21,708 per person. The highest in Canada. Interest payments alone on the debt equaled $9.8 billion in 2012-13 which is more then 11% of the governments revenues. Quebec's debt is 49% of its GDP. It is the highest of all the Provinces. In comparison Ontario's is 37.4%. If the trends continue, by 2022-23 the debt could reach a staggering 57% of Quebec GDP. The $9.8 billion spend yearly on interest deprives funds for other social services including Education, Health care and so on. The most pressing problem however is that our elected officials continue to add to this debt yearly as they are unable to create balanced budgets. This continued ''building of debt'' has become the equivalent of the the Three Mile Island Nuclear accident...we are polluting the future of our children, their children and generations to come. Yet we talk, and talk and talk about Charters of Values.

* In 2009 there were 5.1 people working for every person over 65 years old in Quebec. In 20 years (or in 2029) there will be 2.5 people working for every person over 65. Can you see where this is going? Well if you can, perhaps the politicians could also. Or maybe not. The rate of  Quebec teenagers graduating from High School is alarmingly low. Quebec ranks 9th in the Provinces for the number of teenagers leaving high school with a diploma. The good news is those who do actually graduate are performing very well in relation to OECD statistics. The sobering reality however is that in the 16 administrative regions of Quebec the percentage of teenagers graduating High School is as low as 40% ( North of Quebec) and ranges to 69% in Montreal to as high as 76-77% in Quebec City region and in Chaudière Appalaches. The overall drop out rate ranges from as high as 51.% for boys (francophone) and 37 % for girls (francophone). On average up to 31% of all teenagers (Franco-Anglo) will drop out of High School before graduating. This phenomenon should have every Politicians attention. The inability to secure good paying jobs will have a significant effect on not only our ability to support the Province economically  but will also limit the economic development of the Province; as Companies and employers go elsewhere to where the manpower is better suited to its needs. In 2008 former Premier of Quebec M. Parizeau wrote an article which appeared in the newspaper speaking to exactly this issue. Very little has changed. Yet we talk and talk and talk about Separation. 

Looking for a job? A stable job? A full time well paying job? Well if you are you might be looking in the wrong place in Quebec. During the early years (2008) of the recession the Quebec economy held its ground. In fact it grew during a time where most other Provinces and regions were facing a decline. Over the last 3 years the situation has taken a down turn. The most pressing or serious issue is not so much in the amount of jobs lost or created but where the jobs are actually being lost or gained. The two sectors of employment in Quebec; Public and Private has always been a source of debate as it relates to the overall health of the Job market and the economy. The government here is a major player in the economic sustainability. A large portion of the jobs available are related directly to government i.e. Infrastructure, Roads, Hospitals, Electric production, Government agencies, etc. The Private sector has filled the rest of the market. According to a recent analysis performed by Desjardins Economic Studies, there are 874,000 public sector employees working in Quebec. This number also includes municipal and federal workers who live in the province. By comparison there are 2,626,200 employees working in the Quebec private sector. In 2013 21.5% of employees worked in the public sector. In Ontario the rate is 19.6% of the workforce. If  Quebec hopes to sustain and grow its economic base and job opportunities the focus will have to be on the private sector. Given the size of the Quebec debt and the need to balance the budget increasing pressure will come to reduce the cost burden as a result of public sector jobs. The focus on economic growth has to have emphasis on attracting new businesses or growing existing ones. To do this significant stability in the political environment as well as specifically designed manpower training and stimulus will be required. The ability for Quebec to grow and prosper is directly attached to a progressive and aggressive economic and job plan. Yet we talk and talk and talk about Corruption.

There is no doubt that these are but a few of the subjects which should be attracting enormous attention in this campaign along with; Health care, Senior care, etc... The reality though is something completely different. There are so many serious issues facing Quebecer's. Issues that if not dealt with now will be the Achilles heal to future generations. The loss of focus or the distractions of trivial matters cannot and will not promote a better life. It seems we have all become accomplices in the failure to move forward on concrete and substantial issues. The media strives for ''knockout'' moments to increase ratings, viewership or subscription. Focus is on sensationalism, issues so far detracted from the real ones. On social media the Political Parties radical militants spend countless hours promoting or defending ridiculous issues. Trying to, ''one up'' the other with the latest accusation of corruption or collusion or political wrong doings. The real issues (horses) sprung out of the gate long before the race ever started. Everyone was so focused on the horses named ''Corruption'', ''Charte'', ''Bigotry'', ''Separation'' stuck in the gate that we never realize the real horses named ''Debt', Economy'', ''Jobs'', ''Health Care'' ''Education'', ''Seniors'' were three quarters of the way around the track. In fact those horses have been running endlessly around the track for years and we have simply been focused on the ones stuck in the gate. We are all to blame for this. None of us gets a pass. We knew what was happening and is happening but chose to ignore it.  The discussions and debates have degenerated into a laughable sitcom comedy of  ''trying to buy a million dollar house with $3,67 cents in the bank account''. The most disturbing of all, is that few people see how ludicrous this whole thing has become.

In a rapidly expanding global economy, those sitting on their hands will be doomed to a future as a ''have not'' Society. This hand sitting has been going on in Quebec for far to long. It is the fundamental role of Government to ensure that it is pulling society along towards a better more prosperous future. It is the responsibility of the citizens to oblige the government to do so. To do anything less is to simply talk and talk and talk....About Nothing!

.

GO THEIR OWN WAY

With so much having been written and said concerning the reemergence of the sovereignty debate here in Quebec I was not sure what more needed to be said. That was up until now. You see, over the last three weeks I have been actively participating in the ''Twitterverse''. More specifically trending on Hashtags like #qc2014, #qcpoli, #qc2014medias along with a few others. My foray there has enlightenment me to the incredible amount of partisanship, passion and sometimes outright lunacy of this debate. For established Quebecois the discussion of language, culture and identity has long occupied a major portion of the landscape around here. The ongoings on Twitter and other social media has expanded this landscape to degrees I never thought possible. The most perplexing element is that the discussion surrounding sovereignty is not the result of a pending referendum but more the possibility of the party who champions this cause winning a majority Government. The belief, based on statements made by the leader of this party and various of its members is that if they are given a majority government a Referendum on separation from the rest of Canada would not be far behind. So given that, many have weighed in on the subject. So what can possibly be left to say. Well here goes!

I have never considered myself a Federalist nor a Separatist. I grew up in Quebec believing that I was simply a Canadian. I grew up here a second generation Finn (Finland). I went to school here, learned french in a program back then referred to as ''French Immersion''. I got jobs here, had numerous friends (in both languages). I raised my family here (4 children) and the love of my life is as ''pure laine'' Québécoise as they come. My children are all bilingual and interact daily in school and in part time jobs with more Francophones then Anglophones. I have always felt like part of the Quebec fabric. I have worked throughout North America and have traveled all over the world. I have always come back here because simply put; ''this is my home''. I have never felt or experienced what many radical separatist militants call being disenfranchised. I was always a minority here but no one I interacted with ever made me feel like one. I felt no distinction from either being a Quebecer or Canadian. As a rule I speak more French here then I do English by far (80%-20%). I respect the language and the people. I am not one of those Anglophones that believes I should just be able to speak English here and everyone should respect that and service me in my language. The majority here are French and to deny this or try to speak over it simply helps to define a fundamental part of the problem. It lies in the belief of some inside Quebec and some outside, that this place is like everywhere else in Canada. It is not. It is an Island of a specific language and culture surrounded by almost 343 million people who do not share it. To the true separatist, Quebec never belong here within a Confederacy of 34 million. It has remained in-trenched in their minds that the 6.2 million of them are distinct and deserve to be identified as such in a stand alone model. In essence they are correct. To understand this is to begin to understand why the issue of sovereignty means so much to a great deal of the population here.  

In 1980 I was 15 years old  and plugging my way through grade 9 of High School. It was the year of the first referendum. At the time I had little, or no comprehension, of the magnitude of the debate or for that matter the repercussions it might have. The outcome of that vote and its iconic dreamer René Lévesque remains locked in the history and folklore of Quebec. A constant reminder to those who dream of Quebec, ''The Nation''. To understand its impact today you have to consider that someone between 20-30 years old back then is now 54 or 64 years old. In the 1995 referendum those same individuals were 35-45 years old. The legacy of those two defeats have stayed frozen in the psyche of the Separatist dreamer. In 1995 I was 30 years old with a two year old daughter and a 1 year old little boy. I understood more the importance of what such a vote might mean for not only me and the place I called home but for two very young children as well. At that time I could not see any up side to voting in favor of separation. Even though no one really made a strong argument for staying either. This unto itself has lead to a great deal of distention between both Separatists and Federalists.

The question of why to stay vs. why to go. This argument has never been resolved. In many ways it was born out of M. Lévesque's speech on the evening of the defeat of the 1980 referendum when he said  to a Montreal Forum filled with Thousand of Separatist supporters (translated), ''My dear friends ''If I understand you correctly you are saying until the next time''. This sowed the seed that the dream of sovereignty was not a one time deal but a project in development. Separatist have clung to this, ''next time'' idea. It is rehashed every time the issue of sovereignty comes up. The year might now be different but the tone is always the same and seems always to boil down to that which best resembles a parent and teenager dispute. Teenager (Separatist side): ''I am going to leave home because your rules and systems are suffocating me. I need to leave to be free and achieve all the greatness I know I have. I need to find my identity, my purpose. Oh and by the way I am taking all my bedroom furniture, the car and you still need to pay me my allowance.'' The Parent ( Federalists side): ''So leave if you don't like it, no wait don't leave. Well if you leave your going to starve, you cannot make it on your own, you need us. You cannot break up the family, what will your brothers and sisters think. You can't go because we say so! No more allowance for you your cut off''. The reality now though is that both those arguments are no longer close to being valid. More importantly the context of 1980 and 95 has changed so dramatically that no longer can  it past the ''litmus test''. Sure both sides pull out the staple arguments of ''we will use the Canadian dollar'' and the other replies with ''pay your portion of the debt''. Back and forth it goes. The reality though is neither side is actually correct.

So now we find ourselves in another debate about sovereignty and what that means for both Quebec and Canada. The simple fact is when you get beyond the ''breaking up of Canada'' and the ''Mon Pays'' rhetoric; you begin to see take shape a debate that might not be that easy to win for either side. One one side you have the staunch Separatists who believe that Quebecer's cannot flourish or attain their full potential in a Federal system. To paraphrase one twitter user, ''Anglo Canada has always stood in the way of Quebecer's''. There is also a strong belief that the language and culture is justification unto itself to not belong to any other Confederacy and that only as an  independent ''Nation'' can  they ever achieve their goals. This ideology is ingrained and handed down from generations dating back to the loss at, ''The Plains of Abraham''. In French Universities the graying, nostalgic and bearded Professors speak in ideological terms to their students about the loss dream of independence. Anyone who has followed Quebec history understands that the evolution of the French (or Quebecois) culture has been defined over the last 255 years built on the idea that they have been subordinate to the Englishman. Now one can appreciate the sub culture and the actual reality of this thinking but it is in essence irrelevant. An in bread belief exists that cannot be washed away out of a desire to define the true context of history. So they have created their own revisionist version of history.

On the other side you have the staunch Federalists who believe separatist are; ''turn coats'' traitors to all that Canada stands for. To Paraphrase one twitter user, '' My father defended Canada in World War Two for what? So a bunch of Frenchies can destroy this country''. This goes along with a strong ingrained passion amongst Federalists of the greatest that Canada represents. In their mind there is no greater country then Canada and why in the Hell would anyone want to leave it. Historically Anglo Canadians have downplayed the minimization of French Quebecers, their language and their culture. Separatists are seen primarily as violent radicals ( mainly due to the FLQ and to radical Nationalists). The idea that they are intolerant has been fueled by bills 101 and most recently the Parti Quebecois (PQ) ''Charter of Values'' which seeks to curb the exposition or demonstration of any religious affiliation by those holding job in the public or para public service. Mixed into these two groups are staunch French Federalists who have always had an allegiance to Canada. While many still value their Quebec identity they believe that French Quebecer's can do just fine within the Confederacy. This group is often chastised by the staunch Separatists who see them as affronts to the ''cause'' and are often misunderstood by the staunch Federalists who do not understand their desire to conserve a strong Québécois culture within the Confederacy of Canada. This helps to highlight how cloudy the whole issue is and how difficult it would ever be to reach any common ground. The debate can not even get going simply due to the lack of any common understanding between the parties. One is either to far left or to far right for the other and those in the center are seen as a confused hybrid.

So where does that leave us? Between the years 1995 and 2012 the whole separation debate slipped into hibernation. A Liberal Government from 2003 to 2012 tended to simply ignore the matter and focused on more social and pressing issues. Not until late 2012 when the Parti Quebecois came back to power ( minority) has the discussion begun anew. It was notched up and fueled up by the calling of a general election in which numerous Parti Quebecois members voiced their support for a referendum and a call for sovereignty again. Only then did it get strong local interest as well as interest in the rest of Canada. Except this time the attention is different then it was in 1980 and 95. There is an undercurrent which did not exist back then, an overtone of murmuring a ''let them go if they want to go'' philosophy. Within Quebec the response to the idea has met with anything but enthusiasm, unless of course you belong to the 33% staunch supporters of the idea. Even then, numerous previous supporters of the question are not interested, as they believe Quebec has bigger fish to fry. A general, ''we need to clean up our house first'' before entertaining the idea again'' mentality prevails in a younger demographic more concerned about education, healthcare, jobs and debt. This ideology of a better Quebec more prosperous for everyone predominates over the idea of a Nation. This new more society based thinking is lost on the old age separatists still longing for the, ''chance'' to finally get their Nation. Supported by a small percentage of a younger generation fed the separatist food by their Teachers, Parents and Grandparents the staunch Separatist continue to try and rally the troops. The Federalist from their side tend to over react and call the Parti Quebecois leader ''Hitler'' or ''Stalin'' without realizing that it does nothing but inflame the passion of all Quebecer's as they see this rhetoric coming from the rest of Canada as misplaced and interfering. Another portion promotes the, '' let them leave then'' position out of fatigue from discussing the issue a third time around.. In this entire debate this final thinking might actually be the best to learn from.

It has occurred to me in the last few weeks that the bed has already been made on the subject of Separation. There is absolutely no use to try and make it again. It is an old argument, it is stale on both sides. The simple fact is that if Quebecer's truly want to separate then that is entirely their choice. Not anyone else. The simple fact that they have on two occasions chosen not to leave says more unto itself then any Federalist Politician ever could in the current debate. No Separatist can make any greater impassioned plea then has not already been made. No Franco Federalist Quebecer can be any better understood in this debate then in the last two. In the final analyses what everyone needs to understand is this: Canada speaks for itself. It is what it is, recognized.world wide for being one of the greatest countries. It has more to offer in its collective then it has in its parts. It needs no introduction nor defending in its current model. Those who dream of a separate Quebec, of a ''Pays'' will not be dissuaded from the dream. There is nothing anyone can offer them to make them want to stay. The idea for it needs no greater justification to them other then to look around them and see themselves floating in a sea of English. It is nothing more than this and nothing less. For those who cherish and hold sentimental the idea of a Canada from coast to coast. We must accept that at some point in time this may no longer be possible. That the inevitable desire a portion of the Quebec population has to stand alone, may lead to a democratic decision to leave. What that will look like and the form it will take will take centuries to define. Most of those who championed for an independent Quebec will actually never get to see the final model of their Nation. They will only know that they in some way contributed to its birth. For older Canadians they neither will see the final outcome of what a new Canada looks like without Quebec. They will simply know that they believe it was a mistake for Quebec to leave.

What will be left at the end of the day weather that is in 4 years from now or 40 is that the Country we know and love today will be probably much different for our children then it was for us. This will be as equally true for the Separatist who always saw Quebec the same way as the Federalists saw Canada. Their Nation, their home. An un-daunting desire to go their own way.