Blast hits Trois-Rivières Canadian Forces site...

[michaelmaltby]

"... I doubt Canada could survive a secound crisis like that without breaking in an open Civil War."

Maestro - I was in Ottawa during the October Crisis - passed through the Army corridor around Parliament Hill to reach work every morning at 05:00 hrs - as Producer of the CBC radio morning show. I know what martial law means - and if Quebecers are ready for a "Civil War" then they're ready (shrug) - but in the '70's it became quickly clear that Quebec had no stomach for the FLQ foolishness - nor war. .

The rest of Canada no longer believes in Quebec and its distinct society - and there is no Liberal government in Ottawa to spoon feed Quebec's ego. Maxime Bernier is the voice of revolution in Quebec.

MM

 

[Maestro]

but in the '70's it became quickly clear that Quebec had no stomach for the FLQ foolishness - nor war. .

I never said we were ready for civil war, I said that if you pushed it too far, you might get it right back in your face... Which would lead to a civil war.

I don't think the Southern states were ready for a civil war in the 1800s, but it still happened. The only difference between Southern US and us is the fact that they were mostly unified against the North. While it is about 50%-50%, here.

 

[michaelmaltby]

"... only difference between Southern US and us is the fact that they were mostly unified against the North. While it is about 50%-50%, here."

OK - if that's the way you see it - but - the South actually seceded from the Union (which Quebec doesn't seem able to do so - $$$$ ... ? , and, their "war" consisted of a little more than blowing up mail boxes, kidnapping the British Trade Commissioner and murdering their own Labor Minister.

If Quebec was able to overwhelmingly vote on a clarity-approved referendum ballot, the "country" would be run by a coalition of Mohawks and Hell's Angels within 5 years.

MM

 

[Maestro]

Of course if there was an open war it would consist or more than blowing up mailboxes and kidnapping diplomats/ministers. That's the difference between war and terrorism.

Other than that, I pretty much agree with your last post.

 

[michaelmaltby]

Maestro this is am "in" thread that probably doesn't serve any value to other readers but whenever Canada is the topic I take personal interest in keeping the facts "straight" since we are portraying the nation to non-Canadians. So with that as background let me add this: the War Measures Act will never be replicated in quite the same way again. You are too young to know this but events were hugely influenced by Premier Bourassa and Montreal Mayor Drapeau -- both were itching to "rough up" their political opposition. Mr. Trudeau gave them their opening - and much of the questionable stuff such as hauling suspects out of their warm beds in the middle of the night was as a result of that nasty compliance.

Trudeau told the nation on television that it was "an apprended insurrection" and that he would account for the government's actions at a future juncture - and never did. There was no CREDIBLE insurrection - only the actions of a couple of misguided, nationalist losers - and believe me, looking at events 30 years after these folks were LOSERS.

Quebec is in Canada to stay. The living is too easy and price of change is too risky. Quebecers are in transition .

MM

 

[timshatz]

Anarchists. We have 'em here too. They are uncoordinated communists looking to just watch the world burn.

It always struck me and odd that they banded together to do mayhem. Isn't that the exact opposite of what anarchy is? Shouldn't they be beating the crap out of each other. I mean, that would be true anarchy, wouldn't it.

Struck me as really, really odd that there are "Anarchist Organizations". Beyond oxymoron, that one is in the realm of weird.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Maestro this is am "in" thread that probably doesn't serve any value to other readers but whenever Canada is the topic I take personal interest in keeping the facts "straight" since we are portraying the nation to non-Canadians. So with that as background let me add this: the War Measures Act will never be replicated in quite the same way again. You are too young to know this but events were hugely influenced by Premier Bourassa and Montreal Mayor Drapeau -- both were itching to "rough up" their political opposition. Mr. Trudeau gave them their opening - and much of the questionable stuff such as hauling suspects out of their warm beds in the middle of the night was as a result of that nasty compliance.

Trudeau told the nation on television that it was "an apprended insurrection" and that he would account for the government's actions at a future juncture - and never did. There was no CREDIBLE insurrection - only the actions of a couple of misguided, nationalist losers - and believe me, looking at events 30 years after these folks were LOSERS.

Quebec is in Canada to stay. The living is too easy and price of change is too risky. Quebecers are in transition .

MM

Interesting...

Having lived in Montreal for 3.5 years and hearing both sides to the story I think you have a number of people being appalled and surprised (or both) by Trudeau's actions during that period. Agree, the FLQ turned out to be a bunch of misguided losers who really didn't accomplish much and in my mind, being a "visitor" to all this, just showed me how silly the separatist movement really was, although I did like Rene Levesque - he was such an idiot he provided great political entertainment!

 

[michaelmaltby]

".. I did like Rene Levesque ". He was a war correspondent for Time-Life (I believe) during the Korean War. He actually was quite a likeable man - no ego, very grounded, unlike the PQ leaders and intellectuals who followed him.

Trudeau hated Quebec nationalism so the War Measures Act should not have been a surprise - and in many parts of Canada it was the most popular thing Trudeau ever did .

In my lifetime (bd 1942) Quebec has evolved from strict Catholicism to strict atheist-socialist nationalism to .....? what's next? At heart, Les Habitants are conservative materialists. A young entrepreneurial class is emerging that will drive the next evolutionary step -- Libertarian capitalism.

MM

 

[FLYBOYJ]

".. I did like Rene Levesque ". He was a war correspondent for Time-Life (I believe) during the Korean War. He actually was quite a likeable man - no ego, very grounded, unlike the PQ leaders and intellectuals who followed him.

I have to agree on all accounts and yes, read about his years as a correspondent. I think after the 76 referendum he realized that he was now over his head in having to govern a province that drove out a large business base because of language laws and also having to deal with some of the idiots in the PQ.

We had a visit from the "language police" when I was working at Canadair. A fellow employee and I threw them out of our offices and threatened to shut down our program that employed about 100 people if they continued to harass us.

Trudeau hated Quebec nationalism so the War Measures Act should not have been a surprise - and in many parts of Canada it was the most popular thing Trudeau ever did .

Yes - I saw that too

In my lifetime (bd 1942) Quebec has evolved from strict Catholicism to strict atheist-socialist nationalism to .....? what's next? At heart, Les Habitants are conservative materialists. A young entrepreneurial class is emerging that will drive the next evolutionary step -- Libertarian capitalism.

MM

Agree as well - I seen this in the 1980s. My ex-wife's step father was born and raised in LaChine and he had similar things to say.

 

[michaelmaltby]

Flyboy - when you were at Canadair was the CF-5 line running? (Nice to see Crimeariver building for the Cold War models contest .

MM

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Flyboy - when you were at Canadair was the CF-5 line running? (Nice to see Crimeariver building for the Cold War models contest .

MM

I got there in 1983. The CF-5s were gone, Bristol in "Winterpeg" were doing the PDMs. Once and a while there would be an F-5 show up for something. When I was there one was brought in for repairs as it landed in a tree!

 

[Maestro]

Maestro this is am "in" thread that probably doesn't serve any value to other readers but whenever Canada is the topic I take personal interest in keeping the facts "straight" since we are portraying the nation to non-Canadians. So with that as background let me add this: the War Measures Act will never be replicated in quite the same way again. You are too young to know this but events were hugely influenced by Premier Bourassa and Montreal Mayor Drapeau -- both were itching to "rough up" their political opposition. Mr. Trudeau gave them their opening - and much of the questionable stuff such as hauling suspects out of their warm beds in the middle of the night was as a result of that nasty compliance.

Trudeau told the nation on television that it was "an apprended insurrection" and that he would account for the government's actions at a future juncture - and never did. There was no CREDIBLE insurrection - only the actions of a couple of misguided, nationalist losers - and believe me, looking at events 30 years after these folks were LOSERS.

Quebec is in Canada to stay. The living is too easy and price of change is too risky. Quebecers are in transition .

MM

Agreed too. All I was trying to say was that if the War Measures Act was enforced today, there would be an insurrection as most peoples in Québec, no matter their political allegiance, would raise against such a treatment.

Agreed :

PQ are losers.
FLQ are losers
MNLQ are losers.
The Bloc are big-time losers.
And Liberals was a mafiosi-infected party ever since its creation.

 

[michaelmaltby]

"... PQ are losers.
FLQ are losers
MNLQ are losers.
The Bloc are big-time losers..."

By that logic, Maestro, les Quebecois are losers. (And that's surely true - who else would consistently vote for a "spoiler party"?)

MM

 

[Maestro]

By that logic, Maestro, les Quebecois are losers. (And that's surely true - who else would consistently vote for a "spoiler party"?)

I never said the opposite...