Buying Casual, Short-Term Loyalty

No end to it, the ways and means by which the federal government - all shades of government - go out of their way to court the Quebec vote. There are no taxpayer-funded sacrifices too great to bring Quebec into the larger community, to entice Quebecois to accept Canada as their nation; Canada first, Quebec second.

It has never worked, and never will. To Quebecois the province has first dibs on loyalty, with the country coming in a dismal, far-off-the-horizon second.

Quebec is incapable of viewing its sister-provinces as equals. Traditionally there have always been barriers put up between Quebec and the other provinces when it comes to trade and access to services and cross-border labour opportunities.

The lack of the common French heritage one part of the problem, the division of languages the other, leading to French agnosticism when it comes to the partnership of provincial equality.

But Quebec is more than amenable to signing on to a bilateral agreement with France, to increase labour mobility. That agreement is inclusive of professions and trades such as accountants, social workers, engineers and architects and those in the field of construction. "These arrangements will remove obstacles in order to facilitate and accelerate the recognition of professional qualifications."

Both France and Quebec have higher unemployment rates than the rest of Canada, but no matter. They will trade between themselves in offering job opportunities to those of their populations interested in trading geographies.

Whereas traditionally trade unions in Quebec have always been fiercely protectionist against the incursion of, say, Ontario workers seeking casual employment in Quebec, while Quebec workers face no opposition to picking up work in Ontario, at their leisure. Ontario construction workers targeted by Quebec union members on the prowl of unlawful presence on a job site can anticipate hefty fines.

So it's a little galling to read yet again of yet another bow-and-scrape to La Belle Province. A full 85% of available funding for organizing committees in 2008 to celebrate Canada Day was allocated to Quebec. Where, in fact, Canada Day is generally not celebrated, but rather St.Jean Baptiste Day is; John the Baptist, the venerated patron saint of the province.

Yet an organizing committee in Quebec received $3.2 million, leaving $100,000 for Ontario and $55,000 for British Columbia, while Alberta and Saskatchewan each received the princely sum of $50,000 for their Canada Day celebrations. Something's obviously rank in this State of Affairs.