Virtual encounter of the Canadian kind

The Web is like the Far West, a humongous hodgepodge of whatever thing (n'importe quoi). On-line forums are a rich platform for all types of confrontations, be they aggressive or constructive. Some of it's great! Some of it's not. Here's a little gem I dug up in the aftermath of the 2008 Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebrations.

• 11:14 AM, Poster from Toronto writes: If the provincial government coughed up a significant amount of the money, then basically that money came from Alberta, BC and Ontario. Glad to know they're using our tax dollars so wisely.
  
  And for this summer's big celebration in Quebec City, I think there should be a giant banner reading: "The Taxpayers of Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario cordially invite you to the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Quebec's founding."
  
  
• 12:30 PM, Poster from Montréal writes: Like all Canadians, Quebecers pay their taxes. They roughly send $40B to Ottawa each year. Quebecers face one of the highest taxation levels in North America. They do have richer social programs and spend their dollars differently than the rest of the country, but it does not justify your statement.
  
  
• 1:19 PM, Poster from Toronto writes: Oh pul-lease... don't make me laugh. Ottawa must have used a fire hose to spray that much money in Quebec. Perhaps the reason your taxes are so high, despite enormous equalization payments from other parts of the country, is that your economy is in the toilet and Quebecers are not noted for their strong work ethic and ingenuity. Near as I can tell, French Quebecers spend most of their energy harassing Anglos and visible minorities. Out there with their little rulers measuring signs. Ahhh, la belle province.
  
  
• 1:38 PM, Poster from Montréal writes: You can laugh all you want; I'm not going to insult you.
  
  
• 1:45 PM, Poster from Toronto writes: Oh Sir, not to worry. We Anglos aren't going to cut you off and leave you without the monthly cheques. Doing so would have you vying with Haiti for the poorest jurisdiction in the Western Hemisphere.
  
  
• 2:40 PM, Poster from Montréal writes: It is sad that you are making this an Anglo vs. Franco thing.
  
  
• 2:47 PM, Poster from Toronto writes: Sir, how sad that small-minded separatists in your province spit at and yell at English people on your 'national day of celebration'. If that doesn't provoke a sense of "Anglo versus Franco" than I don't know what does.
  
  
• 4:09 PM, Poster from Montréal writes: Of course! And you are going through the same mental process by insulting all Quebecers with your posts.
  
  
• 4:29 PM, Poster from Toronto writes: Sir - sometimes the truth hurts. Do you really want to try to argue with me that Quebec doesn't leach off the rest of the country tax-wise through transfer payments? Do you have compelling evidence that Quebec is a 'have' province? Do you really disagree with my assertion that basically the taxpayers of Alberta, BC and Ontario will be, in the end, picking up the cheque for your big party this summer? Really?
  
  
• 5:14 PM, Poster from Montréal writes: Sir, each year, Quebec receives $19B in transfer payments and sends $40B to Ottawa. These figures are partial, but studies generally show that Quebec does get a little more than it chips in. My point is that its "have not" status is grossly exaggerated; nothing that justifies the kind of abuse I read in these forums. It would certainly not be the poor state you are depicting if sovereignty were to be achieved. I am not saying that you are wrong, nor right; it is hard to tell. I simply think most Quebecers deserve more respect than many Canadians are willing to pay them.
  
  
• 5:43 PM, Poster from Toronto writes: Sir, I think my comment got lost in cyberspace. In any case, the reality for both Quebec and Ontario is that this century belongs to Western Canada. All things are cyclical and now it's their turn to hold all the cards. Something that will be very hard for our respective provinces to swallow.
  
  Deep down I think that without the French, we English Canadians are more or less just polite Americans and without us English Canadians, you French Quebecers would be very alone in a very cold, unforgiving English North America.
  
  Differences should be celebrated - we have two amazing founding cultures and many more cultures have come to be a part of this country in the meantime. The real enemy is stupid, selfish, self-interested politicians who would care to tear the country to pieces out of spite.

I wish a great St. Patrick's Day to all my Irish friends.