There have been a number of occasions where I have expressed my gratitude to God for the beauty and security of this great country, Canada. Invariably you respond, often eloquently, offering your own appreciation.
No doubt we all watched and wondered last night and this morning as we followed the results of the election in the province of Quebec. I was particularly interested because our son, Isaac, and his wife, Rebekah, are bilingual Anglophones living in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. The community they are in was once more than half English-speaking. Now it is about 15%. Isaac is a United Church minister serving a congregation which is a last vestige of that Anglophone population and in worship he includes some French out of respect for the Francophones who are now part of the congregation.
I will call them later today to get their read on last night's narrow victory by the separatist Parti Quebecois. Pauline Marois and the PQ barely made it into power over the incumbent federalist Liberals. In her victory speech Marois tacitly acknowledged that the electorate voted for a change, but not for her separatist agenda. She even offered an olive branch, in English, to the Anglophones of the province.
Of course, the shootings which took place at her headquarters caste a terrible pall over the election.
As proud Canadians, what is your reaction to last night's results in Quebec? Do you think it changes much? The Aislin cartoon from 1976 does put the current situation in perspective. Does your Canada include Quebec?
The fact that it's a minority speaks more to Quebeckers' desire for change than it does a rejuvenated PQ. And of course, the shootings and prayers for the victims should be everyone's focus right now, anyway (I'd say.)
ReplyDeleteI agree, and I agree. Thanks Ian.
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