In October 1995, the "Yes" vote for Quebec sovereignty almost won, getting 49.4 percent of the ballot. More than 60 percent of the Quebecois, who are an oppressed French-speaking nationality in Canada, voted "Yes" in the referendum. There are about 6 million Quebecois in Quebec, out of a population of 7 million.

Following a November 23 cabinet meeting Chretien launched a frenzied patriotic flag-waving campaign against Quebec. He declared that the federal government would never negotiate the secession of Quebec unless the next referendum question was "clear" and unless the Yes side won more than a simple majority. Fifty percent plus one was the accepted margin for victory in the two previous Quebec referendums of 1995 and 1980.

Chretien based Ottawa's position on a Supreme Court ruling handed down last year that said the federal government would be obligated to negotiate with Quebec if the sovereigntists won, as long as there was a "clear majority on a clear question." The court did not define in precise terms what it meant by clear.

Chretien said his proposed conditions were a response to statements by Quebec premier Lucien Bouchard outlining Quebec's grievances against the Canadian federal system at an international conference on federalism. At that conference U.S. president William Clinton spoke strongly in defense of Canadian federalism and a united stable Canada.

The proposed legislation will not state the exact percentage required for a referendum victory or the exact wording of a referendum question that would be acceptable to the federal government in order for negotiations to take place over the secession of Quebec. Instead the core of the legislation will be based on last year's Supreme Court ruling.

However, federal Intergovernmental Affairs minister Stephane Dion said that the legislation would list the areas that would have to be negotiated.

Trying to play the Native people of Quebec, who also face national oppression, against the Quebecois—which the federal government successfully employed during the 1995 referendum, Dion stated, "We have a requirement from the Supreme Court to take into account different issues, including the borders. It would be unfair to the aboriginal peoples in the north of Quebec to say, 'We will switch you from one country to another country, we will not even consult you.' "  
 

Bouchard rejects Ottawa's position

"There is absolutely no way that we will allow Mr. Chretien to play any role in the definition of anything relating to the itinerary of the people of Quebec toward the future," said Quebec premier Bouchard.

This comment was in response to Chretien's demagogic call for a referendum truce on November 25, in which he offered to drop all talk about referendums and conditions for secession if Bouchard promised not to hold a referendum during his mandate.

Bouchard stated that surrendering the possibility of holding another referendum would mean "accepting the constitutional order imposed [by Ottawa] in 1982, and all the federal intrusions, past and future, in Quebec's jurisdictions."

In 1982, Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau "repatriated" the Canadian constitution, which until then had remained formally in the hands of the United Kingdom's parliament and monarchy. The resulting constitution and Charter of Rights and freedoms, weakened historic powers of the Quebec National Assembly. All provincial governments endorsed and signed the constitution except Quebec.

"Ask anyone in any country near or far, and its evident they'll tell you that 50 percent plus one vote as a majority is the universally recognized international rule, recognized by the United Nations and the entire world," said Quebec international relations Minister Louise Beaudoin.

Full-page ads were published by the Quebec government in most Quebec dailies stating: "For the United Nations, democracy is 50 percent plus one of the votes cast."

Officials of the pro-sovereignty Quebec Federation of Labour, one of three main union federations in Quebec, issued a statement backing the PQ government against Ottawa and stating that only the Quebec National Assembly had the right to define the terms of the next referendum.

In the federal parliament in Ottawa, the pro-sovereignty Bloc Quebecois with 44 elected members of parliament accused Ottawa of creating two classes of voters for any future Quebec referendum.

Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe said that Ottawa's position would give more power to No voters than Yes voters. "Should we understand that the only way the Prime Minister can save Canada is by changing the value of a vote, to say that a federalist vote means more than a sovereigntist vote?" he asked. The Bloc said it would slow down the work of the House of Commons to try and block any resolution of bill setting new rules for a referendum on sovereignty.  
 

Federalist politicians divided

Throughout the week after Chretien's November 23 announcement, Quebec Liberal party leader Jean Charest, a federalist politician currently leading the Parti Quebecois in the polls, expressed considerable unease over the initiative being taken by the federal government.

"The issue isn't going to be 60 percent or 50 percent plus one," he complained. "The issue is going to become 'Do we have the right to decide our own future, or is the rest of the country going to lock us in.'" The perception may become that English Canada is telling French Canada, "You can't have a divorce honey," he stated.

Charest also attacked Bouchard's statement that there could be a unilateral declaration of independence. "That would be clearly illegal," Charest said. "For him [Bouchard] to stand here yesterday and invoke a unilateral declaration of independence is extremely, extremely grave."

Conservative Party leader Joseph Clark accused Chretien of wanting to retire with a legacy as the "guy who stands up to Quebec."

Speaking on behalf of the New Democratic Party premiers of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, federal NDP Leader Alexa McDonough attacked the sovereignty forces in Quebec and at the same time criticized the Chretien government, accusing it of inflammatory actions that are "risking fanning the embers of separatism." The NDP is a social democratic party linked to the unions outside of Quebec.

"The Supreme Court decision stated that clarity is an absolute prerequisite for any succession negotiations," she said. "If sovereigntists insist upon proceeding with a referendum the onus of responsibility to ensure clarity falls on the National Assembly of Quebec."

Using the opening provided by Ottawa's talk of negotiating Quebec's borders, Pristine Manning, leader of the populist right-wing Reform Party, unveiled a proposed "New Canada Act" that talks openly of partitioning Quebec as part of the process of secession. The Reform Party is the official opposition in Ottawa.

The Reform Party's proposed legislation sets out provisions for Ottawa to hold its own double-question referendum if it deems the question set forth by the Quebec National Assembly is unclear. One question would state that an independent Quebec would have "no special legal ties to Canada." The other would ask communities in Quebec defined by municipal boundaries if they want to stay in Canada if Quebec separates.

"It isn't just that secession will divide Canada, but it has a very good prospect of dividing Quebec," Manning insisted.

John Steele is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 175.  
 
 
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