Saying `No` To Sovereignty

Who ever imagined among those living outside of Quebec, that the rest of Canada would be relieved to hear conclusions on the sovereignty issue from Lucien Bouchard, formerly premier of the Parti Quebecois, former federal Conservative Cabinet member under Brian Mulroney, and famously, former head of the federal Bloc Quebecois, though the party existed only in Quebec, and existed only to represent Quebec`s interests.

Those days are forever gone.  Mr. Bouchard, along with a few Quebec intelligence elite colleagues who love Quebec and truly have its best interests top of mind, issued a condemnation of where Quebec society was headed a few years back, finding fault with its work ethic, and finally admitting that the burning issue of separation deserved to be buried and forgotten.

Lucien Bouchard has written a new book, ready for release.  Lettres a un jeune politicien (Letters to a Young Politician) is a different kind of polemic, one that attempts to convince young francophones interested in politics that it`s time to go off on a new direction.  There are more urgent, more practical concerns to become involved with, minus separation because that`s not logically where a profitable future lies.

"What remains when the dream of sovereignty fades, when it cannot rally people like before?  You can no doubt see that my generation is lacking a collective myth", for that myth representing a hoary old debate is at an "impasse" he has written.  The youth of Quebec require another area of inspiration, beyond separation.

He appears to deplore the recent election campaign with its promise of a citizen-initiated referendum where a petition that has the signature of 15% of the population could initiate a sovereignty vote.  "I cannot believe that anyone could consider putting in the hands of such a weak minority the power of sending us to the slaughterhouse at any time."  It would be "irresponsible to expose Quebec to another defeat."

He considers the September 4 minority election victory for the Parti Quebec to represent a "poisoned chalice" for Premier-elect Pauline Marois.  "It`s a repudiation of the PQ program and a sign that the sovereignty project is not in good shape.  The more the PQ spoke of sovereignty in the campaign, the more its support dropped."

He wrote that when he was premier although respecting the point of view of protesters he also recalled all the other citizens` needs, those who did not protest, "Who cannot make their voices heard, do not block traffic, do not turn over cars.  The government has to know how to say `no` to the street."  And that it is his feeling the government is misled feeling French can be protected by limiting English education access.

"The protection of French begins with concern for the quality of one`s spoken French.  To communicate in the 21st Century, in North America, also means being able to do it in English, and if possible a third language."  Lucien Bouchard has been miraculously transformed into the veritable Voice of Reason.

It is amazing the manner in which distance from direct political involvement can move a man of high intelligence to closely inspecting the logic behind a flawed direction he had once so passionately advanced.  Remote introspection and thoughtful analysis can do wonders for one`s perspective.