Autonomy is a two way street."
2010/11/12
Comment of the day
A recent Globe and Mail article entitled "Looking for the cracks in medicare? Try the Ontario-Quebec border" takes a look at the effects of different provincial regulations on its respective residents. The story prompted this reaction from a reader:
"While Quebec wishes to exercise its autonomy from the rest of Canada, the rest of Canada is implementing its autonomy from Quebec.
Autonomy is a two way street." Click here for more from the author of this comment.
Autonomy is a two way street."
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4 comments:
Hi Michel,
Years ago, I opposed both the Meech Lake and Charlottetown Accords. It wasn't just because Quebec would gain powers that other provinces couldn't have. It was because Quebeckers would still have a say over what would happen in the lives of Canadians living outside Quebec. Call it a West-Lothian dilemma which is based on Scotland and Wales getting some form of autonomy, but not England. The MPs from Scotland and Wales still get to rule on matters affecting only England.
Had either the Meech Lake or Charlottetown Accords been approved by Parliament and the provincial legislatures, I would have supported Quebec sovereignty. What I am really stating is that I would be supporting sovereignty for the rest of Canada.
The inter-provincial health care issue is one where Quebec did not agree to pay the higher rates to other provinces that take care of Quebeckers. One cannot expect a doctor from outside Quebec to accept a lower payment for treating a Quebecker than one from his/her own province. Quebeckers can pay for treatment outside of Quebec, and then ask for a lower rate or reimbursement from their health ministry within Quebec.
If Quebeckers do request constitutional or non-constitutional autonomy from the rest-of-Canada, they must be prepared for an equivalent request for autonomy from Quebec by the people living outside Quebec.
In 1994, had Quebeckers supported the sovereignty referendum with an economic union with (the rest of) Canada, they would have gotten their sovereignty. However, I don't think they would have achieved any formal economic union. Outside Quebec, we would have been think about how to manage our own lives.
Quebecers are different in another, very significant way: Quebec segregates its citizens into two separate and distinct civil rights categories. See chapters 2 and 5 of http://www.WhyCanadaMustEnd.com
Hello Skinny,
When Parizeau decided to leave the Liberal party for the Parti Québécois, he did it because he saw no possible compromise from Ottawa to accommodate Québec. Now, Duceppe is touring the world saying that 20 years after Meech, there is no possible compromise to be expected from Ottawa to accommodate Québec. I sense this sentiment more and more in commentaries coming from other provinces.
Thanks for the level-headed and articulate comment.
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