Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon speaking loudly and often after party win over Coalition Avenir Québec
Quebec separation is back among the living.
Years after many considered it dead, the prospect of removing Canada’s second-most populous province from the federation has re-entered the political debate. And though Quebecers aren’t exactly marching in the streets in its support as they once did, they are certainly taking another look at the Parti Québécois.
The PQ, formed in 1968 expressly to make a country out of the province, is by far the most popular political party in the land, with a bevy of polls suggesting it could form a majority government were an election held today.
In October, the party won a byelection in the Quebec City-area riding of Jean-Talon, long a stronghold of the governing Coalition Avenir Québec, or CAQ. More recently, the PQ released its “year one” budget, essentially an advertisement for the alleged economic benefits of a sovereign Quebec.
Would it make economic sense for Quebec to be independent?
In the way that brexit made sense yes…
So… not at all?
Increased barriers for trade will reduce the number of businesses wanting to do business in the region (different rules, regulations,.and red tape)
They would also create their own currency eventually, so that introduces exchange rate problems. A single currency is almost always better for economic cooperation between states as it removes the uncertainty for long term contracts. Like before the Euro if a german company and an italian company wanted to do business they would have to use 2 different currencies, if one country sufferered a banking crisis that would basically screw over the other as their investment would then be worth a lot less. The UK already had their own currency so this part would actually be worse for Quebec.
Lastly there would be brain drain. Now Quebec is the 2nd most prepared province to go off on its own (diversified economy, warm water ports) but its still a bad idea economically. Despite being a net contributer to the EU budget the UK cant make up for the money the EU gave to the UKs poorer regions, or invested in the countries institutions and industries. Its highly likely the same would happen here. And with the xenophobia for non francophones no longer able to be limited to people from outside Canada i suspect a lot of non Quebecois would leave. Skilled labor being so economically valuable this would just do further damage. Much like the UK outside the union it is harder for them to attract skilled labor from the continent and they are actually now in a net loss for skilled workers dispite increasing immigration.
So no… not at all…
Edit: those rules and regulations i mentioned in the first part im sure would include something about mandating French be used (at least at first) for businesses. The global economy is based on the English language. I work, as a Canadian, in Germany for a Germany company, i work in English every day. my German boss went to China on a business trip, they spoke to every professional the met in English. So while many Quebecois might see independence as preserving their language… That will fall away really quick when they realize the economy is more important. Ironically Quebec is probably more insulated from English by being a part of Canada.
Thanks for the lengthy response! I knew it was probably not the best idea, but it sounds like it’s just a terrible one.
No, but all it takes is 100 bots spreading whatever to make the news these days.
Quebec receives 14 billion dollars per year in transfer payments from the federal government.
What are transfer payments?
“Equalization” is the term used — basically it’s income redistribution from wealthier provinces to poorer ones, except Quebec for some reason get way more than they should based on their economic performance.
I guess that alone makes it pretty ridiculous for them to try to make an independent go of things…
Yup, which is why a lot of us up here see their threats of separation simply as a form of extortion. To be fair, it has been working great.
I don’t think secession would be a great idea but considering the vast cultural difference between quebec and the rest of canada it could feasibly be run as an autonomous region while still having ties to the state. I doubt this will happen tho lol
That may be, but I was talking about a different thing- I don’t know how resource-dependent Quebec is on the rest of Canada. The U.S. South, as much as they love to make noise about secession, depends way too much on commerce from the rest of the U.S. to actually do that and survive. Is Quebec the same way or would this be more like Brexit, where things suck a lot more but they keep limping along?
Quebec is somewhat independent, but definitely not ready for actual secession. Lots of natural resources, big producer of hydroelectricity, etc. But a significant part of its appeal on the international stage is its inclusion as a part of Canada.
The fact that it would also literally split Canada in two, with the maritime provinces separated from the rest of the country, would be a bad deal for everyone involved.
It would likely make a lot of economic sense to Canada if Quebec was independent, yes.