The national question, which is rapidly returning to our political life, requires everyone to take a stand.
The separatists are clearer than ever, and their disoriented opponents no longer know what to do except repeat the word “referendum,” suggesting that today it would be replaced by another phrase: “plebiscite.” It's moon. They need to update their reasoning. There is something strange about the demonization of the appeal to the people.
Nevertheless, in their opinion, the Federalists have made up their minds: they will no longer allow us to believe in the myth of renewed federalism. The members of the PLC and its provincial branches of the PLQ accept Canada as it is and are working to impose it on Quebecers. They are relying on Quebec's demographic development caused by massive immigration to put an end to the national question.
nationalism
The autonomists remain. We will place the CAQ and the PCQ in this camp.
Their position: an autonomous Quebec within the federation, but not going as far as independence.
Because independence would be bad in itself? Not really. They don't dare go that far. They do not give factual arguments against it, but rather circumstantial arguments.
The CAQ oscillates between the financial cost of independence (which boils down to the fact that independence itself would be good, but Quebec doesn't have the resources at the moment) or the lack of desire of Quebecers to vote in a referendum (it's all about that) . pushes her not to want one).
Autonomism does not hesitate to demand powers for Quebec, but does not react when it does not receive them. His demands are purely rhetorical in nature: they have no bearing on reality.
We certainly have some identity laws to thank the CAQ for, but they are still pending in the Canadian framework and will eventually fall when the demographic shifts caused by massive immigration come to an end.
The PCQ is betting on an Alberta strategy, hoping to revive an old tradition that it presents as something new: the alliance between Quebec and the most conservative English provinces to decentralize the federation. This is Éric Duhaime's Alberta strategy.
I emphasize: This strategy is not new and, above all, has never brought even the slightest serious result. Because at the last moment the English provinces are moved primarily by Anglo-Canadian national consciousness and not by the defense of their autonomy.
Above all, autonomism runs into a fundamental problem: the lack of a breaking point, at least in its official discourse (for we must never forget that many autonomists are secret sovereignists who will vote “yes” at the end of one day).
The main thing is: we give Quebec certain essential powers. Ottawa says no. What do we do then? Do we choose to break with this federation that is unable to adapt to Quebec, or do we choose to take our own lives?
If we rule out the independence card from the start and thereby forego any balance of power with English Canada, we lose.
If we choose to keep it alive, one day we will have to take it seriously and find courage.
This has already been the case in our history. We saw this after the failure of Meech in 1990. The Bloc Québécois emerged from an autonomous nationalism that took seriously the idea of a break with Canada.
But Canada was able to put down the uprising, partly because of the disloyalty of Robert Bourassa, who, when crossing the Rubicon, decided to deny the fundamental interests of his people – we will read “The Cheater and The Wrecker” by Jean-Pierre François Lisée read it once, be convinced.
Finish
Autonomism is a dead end: Quebec is neither politically nor demographically strong enough to force constitutional reform on a Canada that doesn't care or opposes it. It is a reassuring speech cut off from reality that allows those who use it to escape the only real alternative available to Quebecers: either they choose independence or they agree to its gradual dilution all in one to Canada, which will eventually destroy them.
Autonomism is a verbal nationalism, a nationalism in words.
Its supporters, like its supporters in the referendum, must choose independence or agree to the extermination of their people.