Mad Rant: Getting Fed Up with Quebec

(I had planned to post this when it would have been more 'timely' but obviously other issues came up)

TRH the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have, fortunately, met with a very warm and friendly welcome from the people of Canada who, probably thanks to British football fans, probably have more of a reputation for politeness than even the English these days. However, the media will pounce on any discontent and will never pass up the chance to make any royals look bad or unpopular -even the “it” couple of the year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Quebec separatists have, it seems, been worked into a French-Canadian frenzy over the presence of the Cambridge newlyweds. The media had to admit that they were outnumbered 10-to-1 (and I would suggest much more than that) by the throngs of cheering well-wishers but they still spoke to the vocal minority, pointing out their rude slogans, obscene gestures and their name calling directed at the couple, the Prince of Wales and even the Queen that ranged from the crude to the positively degenerate. These scenes have been boiling up in me ever since I first saw them and I’m about to blow my lid. I have just one thing to say to the separatists of Quebec: SHUT UP ALREADY!

Now, keep in mind, this is coming from someone who sympathized with the French in the French & Indian War, someone who likes the French and who liked the culture of Quebec back in the days when they actually had one. But, I am fed to the teeth with this constant, childish, whining and name-calling. Listen up Quebeckers! *You are not mistreated!* You are certainly not suffering from any political oppression. You live in a monarchy and can openly call for a republic and can actually become a republic if a majority so desires it. That means you already have more freedom than the citizens of the French Republic whose constitution forbids any change in favor of a monarchy. You have every bit as much freedom as any people in any modern, western country. In fact, you have a better deal than many since the rest of Canada has bent over backwards in their slavish effort to placate you. And don’t talk to me about fighting to preserve the Quebec culture and heritage; you pretty much destroyed that all on your own with no help from the rest of Canada. The conservative, Catholic, old French culture and traditions of Quebec have been all but wiped out by the modern secularist, socialist, republican crowd who have absolutely nothing in common with the past generations of Quebec.

One of the things I have always admired about the British Empire was their ability to learn from their own mistakes. Quebec is a good example of this. In the beginning, British rule was rather harsh but they realized that this was a recipe for disaster and so they began to take a different course, particularly under General Sir Guy Carleton (who not many people know was the last commander-in-chief of the British forces in the Revolutionary War). The French language was protected, French law allowed and used, French land claims were upheld and the Roman Catholic Church was given complete freedom. This so won over the upper echelons of society in Quebec (both the aristocrats and the clerics) that when the American Revolutionary War broke out the leadership in Quebec was explicit in denouncing it. We also know that Bishop Jean-Olivier Briand threatened to cut off from the sacraments anyone who supported the republican rebels and even excommunicated the famous Father John Carroll of Baltimore, Maryland for his support of the revolution. Yes, believe it or not, originally, Quebec was not only loyal to the British Crown but VERY loyal.

Those who raised this flag wouldn't recognize Quebec now

However, once there was no longer a threat from an army of invading Yanks old grudges and problems started to pop up again. It still did not take on the very hateful tone of the modern separatists until after the “Quiet Revolution” of the 1960’s when the province decided to ditch the Catholic Church and embrace socialism and, to a degree, separatism. Since then the shouting for independence has reached the point that it became necessary to put it to a vote. Quebec voted to stick with Canada. That is the final point. All of you Quebec nationalists who think you are being “oppressed” by the Queen and the rest of Canada, perhaps you should be directing your anger at your fellow Quebecois who did not vote your way. The rest of Canada did not decide to keep you, the Queen certainly did not decide on her own that Quebec would stay in Canada, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not decide the issue -YOU did. What is worse, the sort of “independence” most in the Quebec separatist community talk about would not be independence at all but sort of a political equivalent of “friends with benefits”.

That is what really irritates me the most about all of this. There is absolutely no justification for voicing anger or disrespect at the Queen or Royal Family. Quebec is not being oppressed, it is not being held hostage. Quebec was given the choice and the majority chose to stay with Canada. I wonder how they would feel if the British Empire they so claim to despise had not defended them in the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812? Coming from where I do, I can tell you Quebec, if you did vote to secede you would not get a nice parting gift from the President wishing you the best of luck. Leaving the United States is not an option -ask any southern state (we tried it and things didn’t work out so well for us). Yet, when your own people do not agree with you, you resort to juvenile attacks on the representatives of the very system that gives you the right to leave if you desire to! It positively infuriates me and makes me a very, very … Mad Monarchist.