🚀 go-pugleaf

The idea of Montreal separating from Quebec in the likely case of 
Quebec separating from Canada is an idea I consider to be just as 
reasonable as Quebec separating from Canada. 

The problem with the idea is the infrastructure required to make it 
reality and "waiting" for Quebec to separate.

In sports the one who "acts" has the advantage over the one who must 
"react". In politics the same is true: For the past 25 years the 
federalists have only reacted to the actions of the separatists and 
the separatists dominate and will continue to dominate until they are 
forced into a defensive stance. Therefore, the objective of any 
organization and/or individual who does not support the separatist 
cause must be to force the separatist government into defensive 
posturing.

The Parti-Quebecois achieved dominance over the Canadian 
Constitutional agenda by coming to power in Quebec where their ideas 
(i.e. Cultural/Constitutional) were embraced by the majority of 
regions that send individuals to the National Assembly. They maintain 
their strength within the province by demonstrating to those regions 
how the federal system does not provide what the collective of those 
regions want. They do not take into consideration (rightfully so, 
within the provincial system) what the collective of the federal 
wants, only what they want.

The federal government in response, is forced to grant concessions to 
Quebec, and for every failed attempt at appeasing Quebec, Quebec 
demands more concessions, garnering support from previously failed 
attempts at reconciliation. Every failure by the Federal Government 
serves the separatists, who masterfully manipulate democracy to 
demonstrate to Quebec how the federal system fails them. By being an 
itch in the system that the federal government is forced to scratch, 
they are able to erode the credibility of federal system within 
Quebec until they achieve their objective (breaking down the federal 
system). All this is achieved as a minority within the federal 
system. 

The only way to erode support for separation is to effectively 
demonstrate to a region of Quebec that the Provincial system does not 
provide what it, as a region, requires in political/economic/cultural 
control. To attempt this at the provincial level would be futile 
because majority support is required within the regions seeking the 
concessions. Therefore an attack at the municipal level for 
provincial powers (as well as the federal powers sought by Quebec) 
should achieve what a provincial attack on federal powers does, erode 
the credibility of the system not relinquishing control over the 
sought powers. Once the credibility is eroded the region can 
effectively play the provincial government as an oppressor to the 
democratic rights of those individuals living within the region, 
hence the moral support to separate the region from Quebec.

An attack at this level will never garner any support from federal or 
provincial parties due to the grab of power being made, but in my 
opinion it is the only effective means of demonstrating to the people 
of Quebec that the only thing of interest to politicians is how much 
power they have, and how diluting that power dilutes their interest 
in gaining it. If the government of Quebec�s fight was to gain 
cultural and political autonomy just to hand it down to the municipal 
governments I don�t think any of this federal constitutional 
wrangling would occur.

The attack should be initiated by the elected representatives of the 
southwest municipalities of Quebec acting as a single organized 
front. It would rapidly gain support in business circles, because if 
successful, any company doing or wanting to do business within the 
economic breadbasket region, will deal with a political system that 
concerns itself strictly with the region in question, rather than 
remote geographical areas that are of no interest to the company. In 
addition, those companies (out of self interest) would have 
considerably more influence over the political landscape within small 
geographical and politically powerful regions. It would be 
considerably more effective than the Quebec�s attack, because once 
initiated, pro-sovereignty regions of Quebec will rapidly come along 
for the grab at power (much like the other regions of Canada) 
hopefully rendering the provincial government hostage to the demands 
of the regions.

All that is needed is strong individuals willing to enter the 
political forum at a municipal level.

Richard Fuoco
Someone who�s decided that enough is enough.
Committee for a Sovereign Montreal (Western Region at least)

PS. If the federal government wants to put an end to this, they 
should relinquish federal powers over employment and spending 
directly to the municipalities rather than the provincial 
governments, truly decentralizing government and crushing the 
principle political "raison d�etre" of the PQ.