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Israeli leader Yitzak Shamir was gunned down by an Israeli hardliner
who felt that he was selling out his own people to the Palestinians.
David Trimble, the Protestant leader of Northern Ireland, is constantly
vilified as a traitor by other Protestants for courageously attempting
rework Northern Ireland's institutions so that Catholics can participate.
And unfortunately, being labeled a traitor is an inevitable fact of life
for federalists within Quebec. It is the separatists' "ace in the sleeve",
their magic bullet, and it will soon be directed with renewed fervour at
Mr. Charest as he attempts to reconcile Quebec within Canada.
If Jean Charest wins the next election, which appears increasingly
likely, he will come under furious pressure to attain for Quebec some
greater recognition of Quebec's unique status within Canada. The Canadian
government will be provided with a golden opportunity to repair its damaged
relationship with Quebec. But Mr. Charest will have to walk a tightrope
with the skill of a circus performer. His chances of crossing the tightrope
alive depend largely on the response of the RoC. The Meech Lake Accord, which
called for recognition of Quebec as a "distinct society" failed mainly
because of a hostile response from the RoC, a response which generated
great anger in Quebec. Now, Mr. Charest has floated the idea of Quebec being
recognized for its "specificity". Predictably, he is being attacked by the
separatists for shortchanging Quebec. Far more worrisome, his
proposals were derided as another "Meech Lake" by some elements of the
English press. One is left wondering whether the RoC has learned anything.
It is important to remember that many in Quebec already consider Mr.
Charest untrustworthy. As a young cabinet minister in the Mulroney
government, he assisted in watering down the Meech Lake Accord in the
failed attempt to salvage the doomed agreement. Lucien Bouchard, Bernard
Landry, Jacques Parizeau, Claude Ryan and the other often quoted "godfathers"
of Quebec politics will be only too happy to fall upon his body like a pack of
wolves, given half the chance. Mr. Charest will need all of his strength to resist
their attacks. On top of it all, the ambitious young leader of the ADQ,
Mario Dumont, will likely find it irresistible to utter the words
"traitor". By doing so, he could inflict terrible wounds on Mr. Charest and re-cast
himself as a new Lucien Bouchard, a new "defender" of the people.
Is the situation hopeless? Absolutely not. But neither is a successful new
arrangement for Canada and Quebec guaranteed. Separatism is not dead. And it
has been proven in the past that separatists are more dangerous when in
opposition. At uni.ca, we urge citizens and particularly members of the
media in the RoC to adopt a more generous approach to the proposals which
Mr. Charest recently outlined. If Mr. Charest wins the next election, real
compromise may become possible. At that point, journalistic responsibility
may make all the difference between keeping the window of opportunity open
(by reporting impartially) and closing it (by indulging in inflammatory
journalism). Cynical allusions to "another Meech Lake" are extremely
unhelpful and ultimately weaken Mr. Charest. If indeed Mr. Charest's
proposals are rejected by the RoC out of hand as another "Meech Lake", many
Quebecers will conclude that Canadian federalism is too rigid to embrace
Quebec with "honour and enthusiasm". And if this occurs, Mr. Charest will
fall from his tightrope with a loud squawk and be quickly picked apart
by the separatist birds of prey. At that point, a referendum with
"winning conditions" becomes highly likely.
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