Larry, imo your concerns about Quebec separating are nothing but a waste of energy. Quebecers were the first Canadians - and they'll probably be the last. The only time we hear rumbles about Quebec separating is when some myopic vote-hungry politician decides there might be an advantage to flogging that tired old horse again.

I'm going to go way WAY out on a pretty red Maple limb and say that Quebecers are, by and large, very proud to be Canadian. And the rest of Canada is just as proud of them. Check out yesterday's CBC report about how Quebec veterans really feel about their flag and their Bloc leaders .

Veterans at a legion hall in Quebec are upset their Bloc MP is still refusing to provide them with new Canadian flags. John Hill said he was told by the riding office of MP André Bellavance that handing out Canadian flags is against Bloc policy ... "If I had to vote to throw him out,[Bloc leader André Bellavance] I'd vote ten times maybe a thousand to throw him out," says Bruno Lavoie, a Second World War veteran. "He doesn't deserve to be there."

Here's a beautiful and old, VERY old folk song from Lower Canada (pre-Confederation Quebec). It illustrates quite well how French Canadians felt ... and I daresay still feel ... about Canada.

Un Canadien Errant

(For those of you who can't manage the French lyric the English translation follows.

Un canadien errant,
Banni des ses foyers,
Un canadien errant,
Banni de ses foyers,
Parcourait en pleurant
Des pays étrangers.
Parcourait en pleurant
Des pays étrangers.

Un jour, triste et pensif,
Assis au bord des flots,
Un jour, triste et pensif,
Assis au bord des flots,
Au courant fugitif
Il adressa ces mots,
Au courant fugitif
Il adressa ces mots:

"Si tu vois mon pays,
Mon pays malheureux,
Si tu vois mon pays,
Mon pays malheureux,
Va, dis à mes amis
Que je me souviens d'eux
Va, dis à mes amis
Que je me souviens d'eux.

"O jours si pleins d'appas
Vous êtes disparus …
O jours si pleins d'appas
Vous êtes disparus,
Et ma patrie, hèlas!
Je ne la verrai plus!
Et ma patrie, hèlas!
Je ne la verrai plus!

"Non, mais en expirant,
O mon cher Canada!
Non, mais en expirant,
O mon cher Canada!
Mon regard languissant
Vers toi se portera,
Mon regard languissant
Vers tois se portera …"


Once A Canadian Lad

Once a Canadian lad,
Exiled from hearth and home,
Wandered, alone and sad,
Through alien lands unknown.
Down by a rushing stream,
Thoughtful and sad one day
He watched the water pass
And to it he did say:

"If you should reach my land,
My most unhappy land,
Please speak to all my friends
So they will understand.
Tell them how much I wish
That I could be once more
In my beloved land
That I will see no more.

"My own beloved land
I'll not forget till death,
And I will speak of her
With my last dying breath.
My own beloved land
I'll not forget till death,
And I will speak of her
With my last dying breath."


One last note ... even if some Blochead did manage to cut the ties that bind us, I really doubt it would be the "end of Canada". We are MUCH bigger than any of our parts. And after all, the rest of the country would still require Ontario's financial support!    ;-)

running for cover now

daylia