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Asher
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Calgary, Alberta
Nov 1999
time: 22:19
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http://www.canada.com/national/stor...a0-2f03adcc3080
quote:
Tories provide Remembrance Day flags after local Bloc MP refuses
Sound Off
Canadian Press
November 5, 2004
RICHMOND, Que. (CP) - Veterans will get Canadian flags for Remembrance Day services from Conservative Leader Stephen Harper following a refusal from the area's Bloc Quebecois MP to provide the flags.
John Hill, vice-president of Richmond's Royal Canadian Legion branch, said Thursday night he had received a call from Harper's office telling him the branch would be getting 10 flags in time for their ceremony. "I said I would be glad to accept them," Hill said, adding Harper was also going to send a letter of commendation to the branch.
Hill said the flag flap had gotten a lot of media attention after it was reported the area's Bloc Quebecois MP has refused to provide Canadian flags to veterans for Remembrance Day services.
Hill said Thursday he was told providing the flags would be in direct conflict with the Bloc's primary goal of Quebec sovereignty.
"They do represent us in Ottawa and they are in a federal party and I think it's disgusting that they would take that attitude," said Hill, a Second World War veteran in this community about 120 kilometres east of Montreal.
"Whether they separate or whether they don't separate, that's immaterial. When we request something from our federal MPs they should have the decency to at least adhere to it."
Bloc MP Andre Bellavance, who represents the riding of Richmond-Arthabaska in southeastern Quebec, said he has accepted invitations to take part in local Remembrance Day services but doesn't feel comfortable handing out Canadian flags.
"Personally, as a Bloc Quebecois MP, I don't feel the obligation to distribute Canadian flags," Bellavance told the Sherbrooke Record.
He said he provides a toll-free number to the federal Heritage Department if constituents want Canadian flags.
"It's a choice."
But he added he is willing to help if the local Legion is having difficulties getting flags for their services. He said he just does not want to be the person who provides the flags.
"I don't want the Canadian Legion not to have flags for their ceremonies," said Bellavance.
Sherbrooke Bloc MP Serge Cardin and Compton-Stanstead Bloc MP France Bonsant said they have no problem getting Canadian flags for local Legion branches.
Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe said party MPs have been told not to personally distribute flags because Liberals have in the past criticized the Bloc for handing out the flags.
"People will receive them if they want them but we won't open a shop in our office to distribute Canadian flags," he said.
Names of those wanting flags are given to the federal Heritage Department or the Bloc's whip.
"We're not denying them. We're not denying them. We're not denying them."
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre said Quebec taxpayers deserve to have access to all the same benefits other Canadians have from their members of Parliament.
"Let's not forget that Bloc members of Parliament, while they may be separatists, represent their constituents in the Canadian Parliament and their salaries are paid by Canadian taxpayers," said the Ottawa-area MP.
Harper's efforts drew praise from the Legion branch.
"We got our flags so we're happy," said member Peter Wallace. |
Quebec. 
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notyoueither
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of naught
Aug 2001
time: 22:19
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quote:
Originally posted by Standup
Interesting thread.
As a Scot i've always had an emotional attachment to Independence but if it ever looked like happening i'd probably pause for thought. Devolution has highlighted a lot of the problems an independent Scotland would face.
So i'm curious as to what kind of independence/latitude Quebec has now ? Does it have separate taxation, its own legal system or legislative assembly, education etc or is it more of a cultural difference - one speaks French the other English and so on ? |
Canadian provinces have a large degree of autonomy. Provinces have access to a wide variety of means of taxation, including income tax.
All provinces have a legislative assembly, and those legislatures have autonomy over a wide area of responsibilities. Municipalities, education, healthcare delivery, welfare programs, etc are all provincial jurisdictions.
A good example would be municipalities. In Britain, IIUC, the city of London, or Glasgow, would be largely autonomous from all but Parliament. In Canada the largest city, and the smallest village, is entirely a creature of the province(s). For a demonstration of that, a recent government in Ontario forced a reorganisation on the municipalities around Toronto. Ottawa had zero say in the matter, and those municpalities had not much more than that.
In Quebec, there is a law that all children must be educated in French unless at least one of the parents was educated in English in Quebec (or Canada??). This means that the children of immigrants are being educated in French whether the parents want that or not.
The province of Alberta owns all the minerals in Alberta. That means that the proceeds from the sale of the large amounts of oil and gas here belong to the people of Alberta. Quebec has a large base in hydroelectricity. That all belongs to the people of Quebec.
Nova Scotia, on the other hand, does not control the off shore oil and gas directly. The feds maintain control over oceans and waterways. Hense they own the off shore oil and are being forced to share with a province like Newfoundland due to the embarassment of riches and basic fairness.
Another example of provincial power. The government of Quebec runs its own pension system. They opted out of the Canadian one, and instead tax their workers for pensionable earnings on thier own and run their own show. That is their right in Confederation.
quote:
How practical is an Independent Quebec in financial terms ? The sums don't quite add up for Scotland (not since they stole our oil  ) but how would Quebec finance itself ? |
The sums don't quite add up for Quebec either, since they enjoy a large amount of autonomy as it is and they also receive a net transfer of wealth from the federal government (they draw out more than they pay for social programs).
The attractions would be purely emotional. As OBoris said a couple of times. It's there to be done, and he is curious about the challanges involved in making a go of it.
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05-11-2004 07:51
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