I agree with Steve, much to my surprise on any but a cooking question. In fact, the referendum program as proposed by Steve is almost precisely what has been done twice in Canada and Quebec, complete with the relentless campaigning when the first referendum (1980) failed, thus producing the second referendum (1995), which failed in a squeaker. We also had a national referendum on the so-called Meech Lake proposal to amend the Constitution Act of 1982 in ways that would exempt Quebec from certain elements of Confederation. News flash: that failed too. Quebec is still in Confederation without having formally ratified the Constitution Act, and both provincial and federal separatist parties still exist and have members seated in both the Quebec National Assembly (note name) and the House of Commons, but their influence is waning steadily.