If the face that launched a thousand ships belonged to Helen of Troy, then surely the about-face that launched a thousand tweets belongs to Justin of Trudeau.
The idea that this Son of Pierre (and pretty boy extraordinaire) might flirt, ever so briefly, with the siren of Quebec separatism was bound to agitate the Anglosphere. Trudeau allowed, in a Radio-Canada interview, that "if at a certain point, I believe that Canada was really the Canada of Stephen Harper — that we were going against abortion, and we were going against gay marriage, and we were going backwards in 10,000 different ways — maybe I would think about making Quebec a country."
He never repented for playing with fire. But within a couple of days, the Montreal MP was flicking his mane, proclaiming his passion for Canada in the Commons foyer and referring to himself in the third person for added panache before dashing off.
As for He Who Inhabits This Space, rest assured he (me) would not be subjecting you to a three-minute soliloquy on this subject unless he (me) thought it was indicative of something.
Enough of that. The third person is hard to master. I do not dispute the fact Quebec is a nation within a nation. I do dispute, however, the notion within that notion — that Quebecers are not like other Canadians. It’s obvious they do not share the same language or culture. But it does not follow that they fail to share the same basic values.
And yet this idea has been making the rounds in Quebec since the election of Stephen Harper and Ottawa’s subsequent tack to the right. For example, Quebec’s justice minister last year said he failed to recognize himself in the tough-on-crime Canada being crafted by the Harper government.
The axing of the long-gun registry, the reversal on Kyoto, the indifference to official bilingualism, the renewed emphasis on monarchist symbols and the occasional forays into social-mores issues have only contributed to the Quebecois unease.
I wonder how many more bridges will be burning after next month’s flame-thrower of a federal budget. Canadians from coast to coast will no doubt be feeling increasingly alienated then. However, the normal remedy for such feelings, if they last, is to elect a new government that reflects your priorities. It is not to start your own country. By the way, it is far easier for Quebec to achieve the former.
Why Trudeau, of all Liberal MPs, did not tread more lightly on this ground, I don’t know. Perhaps he really believes the myth that Quebecers are somehow more progressive than their neighbours. Personally, I think they tend to be less right-wing about some things and more right-wing about others. They won’t bend over backwards to accommodate minorities and they’d like to see immigrants check their cultural baggage or burkas at the door. You might think that’s way too radical.
Whatever. My point is this: Let’s not confuse political views with values. Values are fundamental beliefs, and the vast majority of Canadians and Quebecers agree on those — from respecting democracy and human rights to pursuing a just society. Even those who disagree with, say, gay marriage, don’t believe homosexuals should be stoned, jailed, denied jobs or the right to live in peace with their partners. Our perceived values gulf on such issues is minuscule compared to other societies.
Forget moral values for a moment. There is even a commonality to our moral vacuums. After all, Vancouverites are just as likely to riot at the drop of a puck as Montrealers. At least the Greek phalanges who’ve laid waste to Athens had something substantial to cry about: the evaporation of their way of life.
Anyway, the next time Justin feels justified in reading us the riot act over Canadian values, I hope he’s got more to go on than his failure to recognize his country in this policy or that.
Oh, please. Canada has survived worse crises than a Conservative majority. Get back to me after Harper sends tanks into the streets and orders mass arrests. FYI, that hasn’t been done since Trudeau the Elder overreacted to a terrorist threat in 1970.
Meanwhile, I think I can still look my country in the mirror.
