Caroline Castonguay-Boisvert was one of several Quebecois to respond to my blog agreeing with much of my analysis of the Quebec NDP vote and welcoming the invitation to work more closely together. Here is her response:
Hi Judy!
I see you have received a lot of attention from us, people who live in Quebec. I agree with what you say, and I wish more people outside of Quebec would understand it. It saddens me that Harper didn't get the message, when really, he should listen for the sake of Canadian unity.
We vote NDP because we were (and are even more now) scared of a Harper majority. We wanted to stop the Conservatives so that all we love about Canada is not taken away, as some of it is already gone.
What is it that we love in Quebec some would say? We love equality among individuals. Our colour, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation or any other thing that would make us different is just that one thing that makes us so unique. And we celebrate it. We also have a very strong artistic community, a very "Québécoise" one I would even say. One of our way of expressing ourselves to each other and to the world is through arts. And that are just two things, because stating them all here would be long, and I think that you described it well in your blog.
What makes us so different is this strong social movement we have here in Quebec. We are not communist, but we like our public institutions, we like to have the power over our own resources and to protect each other from harm. We also have a strong reluctance towards anything that involves war.
One thing that many young people like me remember is their parents saying how Canada was trustworthy internationally. How we were a country that was look up to when others wanted to improve some part of their systems. That when you travelled, saying you were Canadian would make you well received. And now that we are old enough to vote and go abroad, this is no longer true. And this makes us sad, and angry, and we accuse (with just reasons) the Harper government for this.
Advertising
A lot of us (including me) love Canada. I've seen almost every province, I've been from coast to coast and loved my fellow Canadian citizens. And the ROC tends to think that being a separatist is being closed minded and selfish. There is nothing further from the truth. We would much like to stay in Canada, and have our ideals be represented in federal institutions.
The problem is, a lot of people in Quebec don't speak English and a lot of people outside Quebec don't speak French, which makes it hard for the "two solitude" to understand each other. I am bilingual, born and raised in French, and started truly understanding what bothers each side so much only when I learned English.
The separatist movement was slowing down before this election, the youth was less attracted by it than they were 15 years ago. Upon seeing the elections results map though, most of us, anglophone, francophone or allophone have had a really bad feeling. It's like we fought so hard to protect our rights and Canada failed us. I don't mean to say that everybody else should have voted against Conservatives (although I really do resent their thinking) but that it shows us how much difference there is between us.
And that is not a question of language, because I well know that anglophones in Quebec voted NDP alongside everybody else. It is striking to see that a government who we didn't vote for is the one who is going to decide our fate. And that has brought the separatist movement back on the map for sure. It was a kick for those who weren't sure or those who really liked Canada (like me) and thought that we could make it work.
Like you say, I would be tremendously happy if we could learn to understand each other and form a country where nobody feels left aside by the institution in power. I would be very surprised if it happened though, considering that the Conservative majority will probably destroy our faith in Canada.
If you want to read more responses, check out Transforming Power.
So well explained and so true. I believe Canada will be facing a rude awekening before October 2015.
Sigh. Yes, I can't find a single word at fault in this blog.
Herr Harper is the worst thing to have happened to Canada.
I agree with you that the Harper government risks alienating Quebec. However, I think and hope that they recognize that danger and work towards a better understanding. If they don't it would be political suicide for them, and could end up badly for Canadian unity. They would be grossly incompetent not to see that.
I do not "resent" people for having a different political stance then myself. I realize that my point of view is just that - my perspective and it is neither better nor worse then another's (as long as we are not talking about radical fringe elements here).
The results of this election illustrate that Canada has not only two languages, but two cultures with different ideals. Not that one is better or worse, just that they are different. I firmly believe that these two solitudes can coexist in harmony as long at people learn to accept and respect different points of view.
@Bond
I didn't express myself as I should have -probably due to my not-so-English way of constructing sentences- when I said I resent their thinking. I was not talking about the voters, but about the Conservative Party itself. I do believe that everybody have the right to their own opinion and respect whatever their choice is. That is, as long as human rights are respected.
It is true that Canada has two cultures with different ideals. It is true also that a lot of people outside of Québec, sometimes without realising it, are far much closer to our values. And vice versa. We really do need to learn to understand and respect each other, and it is going to be, as it always was, a very hard road. Both sides have prefabriqued ideas about the other side. We need to torn those ideas down before we can accomplish something substantial.
Caroline, I agree with everything you just said. Once people on both the left and right stop demonizing each other, and actually listening to each other they will find more in common then not. It is refreshing to see someone who can respect other opinions. The future of this country ultimately depends upon people, not politicians. I hope to hear more voices like yours rising above the din of mutual distrust.
There are the sentiments of the people but the barriers between people in Canada (the "two solitudes") are the FPTP voting system and the toxic, dysfunctional and anti-democratic Conservative government of Herr Harper.
He didn't need Quebec (La Belle Provence) to win his majority.
Do you think he and the diehard fanaddicts who voted Conservative give a damn about Quebec?
We can only hope the majority of decent, intelligent and sympathetic Canadians everywhere, along with the NDP, are able to stop the worst ravages of this government.
- For the good of all of Canada.
I had some of these same sentiments as soon as I saw the election results, and have been hearing it in Québec news. I fully expect Harper to do something in the near future that will enrage Québec and make sovereignty the major issue in the provincial election. I also wouldn't be surprised if Yes finally prevails in the next referendum.
What I think this proves though, is that Québec is surprisingly united and progressive, and I think all that's needed for people to choose to separate is a guarantee that things will be better; an end to corruption, better healthcare, and a progressive, socialist agenda with immediate results.
I'm very conflicted. On one side, the Québécoise in me is so terrified of a Harper majority that I'm ready to throw myself whole-heartedly into the Separatist movement. On the other side, the patriotic Canadian in me (that grew up in Ontario) thinks maybe we can pull through this. For me this will be as fierce an internal battle as I'm sure it will be politics to come.
My worst case scenario prediction:
If Herr Harper's administration lasts the full four year term Canada will:
1. Lose Quebec.
2. Lose healthcare.
3. Be financially destroyed.
4. Become a fascist law and order police state.
5. Transform from a welfare (Canada's social safety net) to a warfare state perpetually at war in Afghanistan, Libya and heaven knows what other wars in the future.
6. Be more deeply absorbed into the American Empire.