Canda has been a confederation of regions since the beginning. I don't see it any more so now than it has at any other time since 1867. I think the angst is unwarranted.
Is the glass half-full or half-empty?
We agree on the existence of regionalism in Canada. Your reasoning is that Canada has stuck together despite its regionalism, and may continue to do so. I'm saying this confederation will always be unwieldy because of its regionalism. I think we're both right.
To answer Sven, if Quebec goes, I really don't see western Canada wanting to hang around with the eastern fragments for long (and yeah, an independent western Canada would be even more heavily dominated by conservative ideology). Quebec separation would be a "rupture" of confederation - this is what some Quebecers themselves call it. Rupture: something exploding and ripping apart from the inside. As Charles Doran noted in his article (link posted above) Quebec separation could well lead to a series of weakened states north of the US border. With the "glue of confederation" gone, Canada would rip apart along its seams.
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