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is not sustainable in a province that can’t even provide the services that should be associated with such a large public service. My first language is French and I do appreciate what Quebec has done to protect the French language. But this has gone too far.

      Walter R, Ottawa, ON

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      I believe it is long overdue that Quebec leaves Canada. In my view it is unfortunate that Quebec didn’t leave during Rene Levesque’s day. Certainly the economic uncertainty would be all over by now and the taxpayers would have been spared billions upon billions of money trying to appease Quebec. Allowing Quebec to stay this long has only served to help them gain the maximum advantage over the years for when they do separate which is inevitable.

      Louise H, Ottawa, ON

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      Are you kidding me? Every day I commute to work through China Town then past the Greek area, followed by Little Italy. Do you really think anyone around here gives a damn what happens with Quebec? Let’s face it, in Toronto these days we’re too busy trying to figure out the dozens of different languages on our storefronts while fighting the world’s worst traffic to worry about Quebec. Give me a break!

      Ansell Wilmott, Toronto, ON

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      The sooner they leave the better!

      Rick T, Ottawa, ON

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      I am a 24-year-old white educated Anglophone male. I have never lived in a Canada where Anglophones had the same rights as our Francophone brothers; as a matter of fact I have never had the privilege of seeing the Quebec “nation” as an integral part of Canada. My generation has grown up seeing our political leaders do nothing but pander and surrender to the separatists’ demands. Usually this resulted in using the rest of Canada’s tax dollars to advance their apartheid-like anti-Anglophone agenda.

      I’ve grown up feeling like a second-class citizen in my own country. I’ve never lived in an era where Quebec contributed to Canada or showed gratitude to the rest of Canada. I have never known, nor will my children know, a Canada that includes Quebec, for whether the province is within Canada’s political boundaries, the Quebecois (with the help of our political leadership) has made it clear that Quebec is NOT part of Canada. This is why I believe it is time to wish Quebec a well-earned farewell!

      Darius Campeau, Carleton Place, ON

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      Quebec is ready for separation. Canada should begin negotiations to agree on what conditions to implement the process. It has been a never-ending theme since 1970. Quebecers always have followed the philosophy that “We want more in order to stay.” No more drain on the Canadian economy. I do not agree that we should have a European Union kind of agreement when they go. We should do the same as Czechoslovakia did. A straight split with no strings attached.

      Vince from Alajuela, Costa Rica

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      I am not prepared to abandon Quebec just yet and I am surprised you are. You have always been such a staunch defender of Quebec and its role in Confederation. What in the world has happened to you? I understand your frustration. I am frustrated as well, but we need Quebec, if for no other reason than to differentiate ourselves from the Americans.

      Helen Smithson, Collingwood, ON

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      I believe it is inevitable that Quebec will separate from Canada. Yes I have “French” fatigue. It would save the rest of Canada billions of dollars in transfer payments. I feel absolutely no animosity—I’m just tired. A divorce can be done amicably with the English. But I don’t know about the native Canadians! Hummmmm.

      Caroline A, Ottawa, ON

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      Let me tell you out here in flatland Saskatchewan no one gives a grain of barley what happens in Quebec. We wouldn’t mind a bit of a thank you for all the money we poor farmers out here are shipping off for seven-dollar daycare in Quebec. Spent some time a few years ago in the Pontiac area. Great people but of course they’ll still be there after separation. Heck, if not they are more than welcome to come out here to God’s country. I could use a couple more deck hands during harvest.

      Farmer George Cross, Battleford, SK

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      My simple opinion. Take your share of the Federal debt. Leave our Ontario healthcare and jobs alone and leave—see ya.

      Serge, heart transplant recipient, Ottawa, ON

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      October 27,1995, I heard the call. I was there in Place du Canada proudly waving my Canadian flag hoping against hope that enough of my fellow Canadians in Quebec could see and hear how much we wanted them to continue to be part of our wonderful Canadian family. Would I do it again? Yes in a heartbeat. I know all the frustrations, the demands for more and more, but don’t you think that a good bit of the responsibility for all of that rests with Federal Governments which over the years have given Quebec just about everything they wanted? I mean, come on. If all you had to do in order to get a nice new swimming pool at your house was throw a snit you’d be throwing snits all over the place. If we in the rest of Canada are willing to pour tens of billions of dollars into that province why would the province not rush to accept it all?

      We still need Quebec. It’s part of Canada and I hope it always will be, but I do agree the time has come to stop the transfer payments to all provinces and insist that they get their acts together, their books in order and as the Scottish leader says—stand on their own two feet!

      Sharon W.T., Kanata, ON

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      I’ve just dumped a few gallons of crazy glue in the Ottawa River. That should keep our provinces together!

      Terry Toll, Campbells Bay, QC

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      Would I care if Quebec were to become an independent nation? Good question, and I’ve done a lot of thinking about it. I suspect that number one, separation is inevitable. I mean can you name me a single nation in the world that is able to successful encompass more than one language or even more to the point more than one distinct culture? Look at all the other countries that have hived off separate, independent nations. Ireland, Czechoslovakia, the Balkans, half of Africa, and now even Scotland looks like it wants to march off to its own bagpipes! Could it be accomplished without rancour, without violence? I think so. Good heavens, the Czech Republic and Slovakia managed to go their separate ways with no fighting and they had a much tougher job defining borders than we would today with Quebec.

      And I must confess I agree with you that attitudes have changed in the rest of Canada. A few years ago we would have been mad as hell if Quebec voted to separate, but today I suspect most of us wouldn’t mind at all, although I’ve go to tell you down here in South Western Ontario we’re much more concerned about those damned big windmills they keep planting on our farms than we are about the fate of Quebec.

      Gerald Poirier, Forest, ON

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      Lowell I could not care less if Quebec decided to leave Canada, just so long as I could still buy cheap beer and bring it back to Ottawa!

      R.B. Ottawa, ON

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      Two or three years ago, I suggested to you that all of Canada should hold a referendum about Quebec separating. I predicted that such a vote across the country would result in Quebec separating. You seemed quite put out by the idea at the time. I still believe that there should be another referendum only with all Canadians voting. That way we’d finally get rid of that festering sore called Quebec, that’s sucking so much of our resources in an attempt to sustain it.

      Ken McNairn, Ottawa, ON

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      Quebec: No it would not bother me at all. I say go. I am a separatist from Ottawa. So yes please go. They

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