[Cry Me A River]

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I think personnally that the french culture will be best protected in a sovereign country.

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How?

Again, please be specific! What would an independant Quebec do to preserve French culture that isn't already being done?

French language and Quebec culture is WAY more protected as part of Canada. The rest of Canada is always willing to bend over backwards for Quebec. Do you think the USA would ever put up with a notwithstanding clause? Or have anything to do with crap like sign and language laws?

As it stands, you're represented on the world stage as a nation of 30 million. You separate and suddenly you're 7.5 million. You think that somehow gives you more clout? Trading blocks are getting bigger, not smaller.

And then you have to negotiate the terms of various treaties, particularly trade treaties like NAFTA and GATT with both the USA and Canada, what then? Yeah, Canada's is willing to jump through hoops for you now, but that all ends the day you separate. A big chunk of the rest of Canada already hates you guys, what do you think happens to everyone whose put up with your crap for the last 30 years and realises it was all for nothing? Any such negotiations presupposes a basis of goodwill. How much goodwill for Quebec do you think will be left in Canada? And all of a sudden the various language laws are protectionist trade barriers. Good luck with that!

Is the OP too young to remember what happened to the Quebec economy in the run up to 1980 referendum? How many companies left? How many people left? The only reason things have normalised and there's been any recovery is because of the realisation that separitism is largely an idle threat. But if Quebec actually seperates, it's 1980 times 10!

And the assumption that Quebec's borders remain intact is a huge leap. There's not exactly a lot of precendent for this sort of thing. What do we have, the break-up of the Soviet Union and...

What happens when the Outaouis petitions to join Ontario? What happens when the Natives do the same? or Montreal? What about Labrador and Northern Quebec in general? Seperatists like to think this is all a done deal and they can set the terms for succession, but no way, everything's on the table.

I'd really like to see Quebec argue on the world stage that it has the right to cede from Canada, but Western Quebecers have no such rights.