"One Nation"

  Friday was Canada's 149th birthday!!!! What a celebration it was. Part of the festivities was a speech by PM Trudeau talking about how great we are as a people, our freedoms, our liberties and our ability to welcome others.  A wonderful speech full of pride, hope and our own wonderfulness. Something that we, as a nation, could say...."yup that's us!" But not all of us.

  Martine Ouellet, who wants to be the leader of the Parti Quebecois, says the speech "insulted" the people of Quebec. What could possibly have been so offensive as to offend nearly 5 million people who live in the province? Here is the statement and I quote...." Today, we celebrate the day, exactly 149 years ago, when the people of this great land came together, and forged one nation, one country - Canada."

  Did I miss something? The offensive part obviously. Apparently the remark about "one nation" is wrong because Quebec is a "nation within Canada". Well perhaps Miss Ouellet he wasn't talking about your province. Maybe his entire speech was directed at the rest of the country. You know...the provinces and people who are proud to be Canadian. Perhaps he was directing it at those folks who, when asked where they are from, proudly say Canada....not Quebec.

   Historically the PQ is referred to as a sovereignist provincial party which seeks national sovereignty from Canada. Translation...not be part of Canada but with use of everything Canadian and the protection of Canada. The rest of the country calls them separatists and makes little or no distinction between them and the Bloc. Although they are separate entities.

  While I try very hard to be a reasonable person, if you know me well you can stop laughing now, this makes me very unreasonable. How dare you take our national holiday and try to turn it into hate. How dare you try to minimize the rest of the country on our day. How dare you speak for the people of Quebec when you are not even an elected official. Who do you think you are?

  Maybe this woman doesn't realize that if she becomes the leader of the PQ and does actually get elected, that it is the government of Canada that in part pays her salary. That the pension she will collect is funded by the people of Canada. That the healthcare, education and community services she enjoys every day are paid for in part by good tax paying Canadians.

  I have traveled to many different countries. My husband has been everywhere..and I do mean everywhere. And there is no better country in the world. Yes we have our problems but no other country comes close to us. But no other country in the world would tolerate, not one but two, political parties, who's main goal is to separate the country. None. 

  You should be thankful you live in my nation Miss Ouelett. I'm pretty sure the "nation of Quebec" will not let a political party thrive that has separation as it's goal.

  Ang