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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-12-12, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1990. Opinion Chretien too late? The election of Jean Chretien to the House of Commons from the New Brunswick riding of Beausejoir Monday may give some Canadians a hope that some solution to the growing gulf between Quebec and the rest of Canada can be bridged. Unfortunately, even at his passionate best, Mr. Chretien seems unlikely to turn the tide that seems to be flowing irrevocably towards Quebec’s separation. The briefs being presented to the Belanger-Campeau hearings in Quebec show there are very few defenders of federalism left in Quebec. Quebecbusinessleadersare pushing separation. Last week even the Quebec farming group UAP came out in favour of sovereignty for the province. Mr. Chretien, to his credit, has asked to appear before the commissiontodefendavisionononeCanadawith an important place for Quebec but given the mood in the province it seems doubtful it will domuch good. If Mr. Chretien announced a plan to give Quebecers a million dollars the pro-sovereignty, anti-Chretien Quebec media would likely make him sound a traitor. There seems to be little room for reason in Quebec at the moment. The same kind of bigotry that fuels anti-French movements in the rest of Canada seems to be promoting anti-English sentiments today. Many in Quebec feel that they have been rejected bytherestof Canada, that Canadians just don’t care whether they stay or not. Yet it is doubtful that any act of reconciliation on the part of English-speaking Canadians would even get a hearing in Quebec today. Minds are made up. Mr. Chretien is especially hated by the Quebec elite because he didn’t support the Meech Lake constitution amendments that Quebecers, spurred on by Prime Minister Mulroney, took as the sign as to whether the rest of the country was ready to accept Quebec. When Meech Lake died, it was taken, along with those English-only votes in cities across Ontario, along with the infamous Brockville flag burning, as a sign that French and English could never get along together and it was time for Quebec to go its own way. Those who point to the thousands of acts of good will that have taken place in Canada in recent years are ignored. The move Monday, by Huron Board of Education to extend French Immersion to secondary school is proof that many people want to bridge the gap but there has to be good will on both sides. It will take a lot more than just Jean Chretien to change the situation. All politicians who believe in a united country must speak out both inside and outside Quebec. Strong voices like Pierre Trudeau must come out fighting again. It will take the combined efforts of many to slow the steamroller of separatism that is crashing downhill. There isn’t time to be wasted in arguing over who is to blame. The chances of holding this country together are very poor right now and we all owe it to ourselves to try to improve the odds. / Reminders of summer Mabel’s Grill Fingers crossed It may be difficult to shake hands with a local farmer these days. He may have bis fingers crossed hoping the best comes out of the stalled GATT talks so he can keep on farming. The breakdown in the talks last week and the postponement of negotiations for reduced farm subsidies leaves farmers hanging by their fingertips as to what might happen yet. It’s difficult to know just what a good outcome would be for the industry that is the backbone of the Huron County economy. The prospect of failure of the GATT negotiations is frightening in that an increased trade war between theUnitedStatesandthe European Community might destroy the world farm economy even more. That trade war so far has seen many traditional Canadian wheat markets stolen away by subsidized exports from the warring sides. A failure could bring even more vengeful practices that would hurt farmes from all countries except the two major parties. On the other hand, farmers in commodities where there are production controls worry that enthusiastic trade negotiators might rade away the supply management system that has given some protection to the dairy and featherindustries in the last two decades. They aren’t made any more comfortable by cries from western grain coducers who claim they are being sacrificed because of the greed of eastern Canadian farmers who want to protect their supply management. On top of all the other problems farmers face with low commodity prices and high interest rates and fuel costs, this added uncertainty doesn’t make for a relaxing Christmas. There are people who will tell you that the important decisions in town are mede down at the town hall. People in the know, however know that the real debates, the real wisdom reside down at Mabel 's Grill where the greatest minds in the town [if not in the country] gather for morning coffee break, otherwise known as the Round Table Debating and Filibustering So­ ciety. Since not just everyone can partake of these deliberations we will report the activities from time to time. MONDAY: Tim O’Grady was ask­ ing the spy who records ail this if he wasn’t a little nervous after seeing the news in the paper that a Japanese reporter has been sent into space on a Soviet rocket. “This just might give Brian Mulroney an idea and he might hire the entire shuttle fleet to fly all the reporters in Canada out into space and leave them on the space station ... the one they haven't built yet.” Ah yes, said Julia Flint, but with The Citizen P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. NOM 1H0 Phone 523-4792 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 all the cost cutting Mulroney would want to have his cake and eat it too. The Japanese TV station the repor­ ter worked for paid $14 million for him to make the trip. Mulroney and Michael Wilson would want our guys to pay for the trip, then leave them out in space. “Yes,” said Hank Stokes, “they could claim they had to cancel the return service for government cut­ backs, just like they did with VIA.” TUESDAY: Billie Bean said he has seldom regretted being born in Canada but these days he feels underprivileged. “If I was born in someplace where it was hot all year round like the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico, maybe I could have been a big league-ball player and earned the kind of millions they’re earning these days.” Ward Black says it’s funny how Canadians are so upset when they think we might be losing out on free trade but we can hardly wait for the Blue Jays or Expos to sign one of these free agents from down south and pay them nearly enough to change the entire balance of payments of some third world countries. Tim says he can’t get over how quickly people can forget how much they make and feel sorry for themselves because somebody else makes more. “Just listen to some of these guys who make $2 million a year who now see people making $4 million and you’d think they were reduced to starving. It proves again humans have an infinite capacity for feeling sorry for them­ selves.” WEDNESDAY: Julia was talking about the possibility of war in the Middle East this morning and said that if the world was only run by women, it would be a peaceful place. Hank wondered how it’s fine for women to talk about how much superior women are to men but if a man ever suggests men might be superior to women in any way, he stands to be picketted and people figure he’s secretly beating his wife. “But we’re just speaking the truth,” Julia said. “You’re making it up.” THURSDAY: Even Ward, who doesn’t care much for baseball, Continued on page 22 The Citizen is published weekly in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $19.00/yr. [$40.00 Foreign]. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisment will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth We are not responsible for unsolicited newscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright. cn ■ Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. 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