According to Merriam Webster, a nation is:

nation

Pronunciation: ‘nA-sh&n
Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English nacioun, from Anglo-French naciun, from Latin nation-, natio birth, race, nation, from nasci to be born; akin to Latin gignere to beget — more at KIN

1 a (1): NATIONALITY 5a (2) : a politically organized nationality (3) : a non-Jewish nationality b : a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government c : a territorial division containing a body of people of one or more nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and independent status

2 archaic : GROUP, AGGREGATION

3: a tribe or federation of tribes (as of American Indians)

According to Stephen Harper, Quebec is a nation.

The slippery slope to Canada’s demise has now crossed the tipping point. Why I have to lose my nation to support the political amibitions of a few is lost on me.

I was reeling last night when I heard this. As reported in the Globe and Mail this morning, Mr. Harper has:

“…introduced a motion that ‘this House recognize that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada.’”

This is problematic, and has effectively destroyed a country that many hold dear. This is a country that is the envy of the world on so many levels, and yet our Prime Minister has given it all away.

Supported “enthusiastically” by other parties and Michael Ignatieff, Québec separatists now have the means to claim recognition on the world stage; they have the ability to claim that Quebec is now deserving of “independent status” as a nation.

This is wrong on so many levels.

Canada is a bilingual nation. In recent years this bilingualism has grown more and more imbalanced, although this is not historically true. As Michael Ignatieff himself is fond of pointing out, 150 years ago while this nation was being carved out of a rugged wilderness, French was the language of commerce in the west—not English.

Canadians who speak French as their primary language live throughout the country, with significant population centres outside of Québec. New Brunwick’s Acadians and Manitoba’s French speakers are good examples of this.

Giving Québec special status—calling it a nation in any context—leaves Canada as a country divided. It leaves us as a country torn in two by naked political ambition. With little support in the province of Québec the Conservative Party of Canada has chosen to build their political base in the short term at the expense of the greatest long term sacrifice that could possibly be made.

Dictionary.com defines nation as:

nation
na‧tion  [ney-shuhn]
–noun
# a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own: The president spoke to the nation about the new tax.
# the territory or country itself: the nations of Central America.
# a member tribe of an American Indian confederation.
# an aggregation of persons of the same ethnic family, often speaking the same language or cognate languages.

Québec is not an aggregation of persons of the same ethnic family, but it is not long until it will possess “a government peculiarly its own.” It already calls it’s provincial Legislature the National Assembly.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a nation as:

na·tion (nshn)
n.
A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country.

The territory occupied by such a group of people: All across the nation, people are voting their representatives out.

The government of a sovereign state.

A people who share common customs, origins, history, and frequently language; a nationality: “Historically the Ukrainians are an ancient nation which has persisted and survived through terrible calamity” (Robert Conquest).

A federation or tribe, especially one composed of Native Americans.

The territory occupied by such a federation or tribe.

The stake into the heart of Canada has been driven by Stephen Harper and Michael Ignatieff. I can’t believe this is happening.

Posted by skooter at 6:36 AM This entry is filed under Canada, Quebec.
This entry is tagged: Bilingualism, Conservative Party of Canada, Québecois, Stephen Harper, Trudeau