24—The Daily Collegian Wednesday, April 15, 1981
Separatist win
raises questions
Issue of Quebec's independence may
revive concerns in Washington
By CHARLES J. HANLEY
Associated Press Writer
MONTREAL (AP) The re-election
of the separatist government in Quebec
sets the stage for a possibly climactic
showdown over keeping Canada whole.
The confrontation may take years to
unfold, but the renewed prospect of a
fractured Canada is likely to revive some
old concerns in Washington.
analysis
Premier Rene Levesque's Parti Que
becois, which advocates "sovereignty
association" for French-speaking Que
bec, meaning political independence
with continued close economic ties to
English-speaking Canada, won 80 of the
122 seats in the provincial legislature in
Monday's election.
The opposition Liberal Party took the
other 42 seats. The popular vote was
closer with 70 percent of the vote
counted, the PQ had 1,215,523, or 49
percent, and the Liberals 1,147,160, or 46
percent.
Political analysts here agree that the
PQ was re-elected because of its "good
government" appeal, not on the separat
ist issue. But the results nonetheless
mean that the party dedicated to taking
Quebec out of Canada is stronger than
ever. When it first gained power, in
November 1976 elections, it won only 41
percent of the vote and 71 seats in a 110-
member legislature.
The pace of fuhire events will be dic
tated by the PQ's own timetable and by
the kaleidoscopic nature of Canadian
politics.
Three of every five Quebec voters
firmly; rejected the PQ's separatist op-
tion last May, when the,Levesque gov
ernment asked in a referendum for
authority to negotiate sovereignty-asso
ciation with the rest of Canada.
Levesque has pledged that in its second
term, which will probably last four
years, the PQ will not hold another refer
endum on sovereignty-association.
One possible scenario: the PQ will
fight a 1984 or 1985 election against the
Liberals on the separatist issue; if it
wins, it will try to force the rest of
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Stimulating people read Collegian ads. Right?
Canada into negotiations; it will then
present the final breakaway scheme to
Quebec voters in a referendum.
Much now depends on events else
where in Canada.
Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau
is fighting in Ottawa to push through a
constitutional reform plan that is op
posed by Levesque and seven of Cana
da's nine other provincial premiers, who
contend it expands federal powers at the
expense of provincial autonomy.
The outcome of that battle could
arouse more anti-federal feeling among
French Quebecers who have long chafed
under English-Canadian domination.
In a way, the French Quebecer Tru
deau may become a victim of Monday's
vote here. He had planned to step down
as prime minister when the constitution
al reform was complete, possibly early
next year. But his successor would prob
ably be an English-Canadian of his own
Liberal Party, or a member of the oppo
sition Progressive Conservative Party,
which has almpst no support in Quebec.
Since this would further alienate
French Quebecers, Trudeau may be
forced to stay on and continue his cru
sade to keep his home province in the
Canadian confederation.
The U.S. interest in all this is deep.
Quebec borders on four American states.
U.S. business has an , estimated $7 billion
in direct investment here. The province
is an integral part of North American air
defenses.
Some American commentators have
suggested that a free Quebec could be
come a "Cuba of the North." There is
little to back up such an assertion.
French Quebecers are firmly in the
sphere of American influence, and gener
ally are comfortable with their southetn
neighbors.
But parts of the PQ's left-of-center
program have made American business
uncomfortable.
The Levesque government is trying to
take over a major asbestos-mining firm
owned by General Dynamics of the Unit
ed States. The PQ program calls for
closer regulation and direction of all
foreign-owned enterprises in Quebec. A
PQ law mandating the use of French in
business and restricting English-lan
guage schooling here challenges the
domination of the "Anglo" business elite
DATE
LOCATION
Ground floor HUB
© Art Carved College Rings
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The long way home
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