Quebec, Bangladesh and UDI

This unique policy of inviting the new immigrants to observe the proceedings and intermingle with parliamentarians of all the parties has been initiated ostensibly to make the newcomers feel welcomed in their new home. The policy demonstrates indivisible commitment of the people and government of Quebec to form a just, inclusive, humane society. There can perhaps never be a perfect society but Canadian society especially that of Quebec is perhaps the best that human society ever evolved into.

When we reached the parliament, we were ushered into the observers' gallery to witness the proceedings of question period. The Speaker at the onset introduced us saying that it was his pleasure and pride to welcome the delegations from Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan cultural communities. All the members of 125-seat parliament including the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition rose up to applaud. As the language of communication was in French, the debates seemed a bit dreary, as most of us failed to comprehend French. Though a parliament was created in Quebec by Royal Proclamation in 1763, the institution remained non-representative because the province's 90 percent of population who were French were excluded from participation. Responding to petition of loyalists and the French subjects, a bicameral parliament was created in 1791 for Lower Canada -- as Quebec was then called.

In 1792, the first session of the parliament was held. Both English and French were accepted as official languages respecting the languages of both the communities. In 1968, the upper house was abolished. Since Quebec is the only Canadian province with French majority, its parliament and the government wields wider power than other provincial parliaments. The government of Quebec reserves the right to call for referendum in the province of Quebec and can adopt the result of the referendum to secede from Canada: a target twice attempted by the separatist party, Party Quebecois, in 1976 and 1995, when it was in power in Quebec.

In fact, before the referendum of 1995, the case of Bangladesh independence was cited as the basis in international law to secede from Canada by dint of Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). Though the French people of Quebec were never subjected to atrocities that was inflicted on the people of Bangladesh, the dream of independence and formation of a French speaking country in North America is cherished by majority of French Canadians. But due to overwhelming opposition of the cultural communities and the English Canadians living in Quebec that dream is yet to become reality, a fact intensely despised by passionate French nationalists. In the referendum held in 1995, the separatist side lost by only 50,000 votes. The separatist side was winning with a handsome margin till the vote counts of Montreal ridings were finally tallied.

Canada in fact owes its very existence to the votes of the cultural communities living in Montreal, especially to 80,000 south Asians. The recent by-election win in Dorion-Laurier riding of Montreal by a twenty-five-year old Party Quebecois MP, Elsie Lefebvre, is being viewed by PQ analysts as changing of attitude of the cultural communities. Only a rise of 25001 votes in their favour would mean the fulfilment of their long cherished dream. It is in this riding, most of the members of 12000 strong Bangladeshi community in Montreal live, hence one can hardly overstate their disproportionate influence in keeping the integrity of present Canadian federation.

Though it is true that the cultural communities finds more resonance of their aspirations in the social democratic values espoused the Party Quebecois rather than the fiscally conservative liberal democratic policies of ruling anti-separatist Liberal Party, yet they have so far extended their support to Liberal Party to counter the separatist movement. A shift in their allegiance may mean the end of Canada. I am afraid the Federal government is perhaps not fully cognisant of this reality. The traumatic memories of separation of their native lands are the only motivating factor in resisting the idea of dismemberment of Canada.

An independent Quebec can be economically prosperous and vibrant as the land is blessed with huge natural resources and world class infrastructure and extremely competent labour force. Quebec is the largest of the ten provinces of Canada and has an area of 17000,000 square kilometers inhabited by 7 million people. Quebec is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the south by the United States and New Brunswick, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, and to the west by James Bay, Hudson Bay and Ontario.

Following 45-minute-long question period we were welcomed to the reception hall for drinks. Here the Speaker and the members of the parliament came to engage in informal chat. The Speaker, Monsieur Michel Bissonnet, a very jovial man fondly remembered his recent visit to Bangladesh during the meeting of Commonwealth Parliamentarians in Dhaka. He recalled with fondness courtesy extended to him by the Speaker Mr. Zamiruddin Sarkar. He highly praised the quality of the table linens and bags that he brought from Dhaka. It was interesting to see the Leader of the Opposition, Monsieur Landry of separatist Party Quebecois and Ms. Elsie, MP of Laurier-Dorion riding enthusiastically socialising with the members of the delegation; a sign of importance that PQ is presently attaching to win over the votes of new immigrants.

During the process of introducing the leader of the Sri Lankan delegation, introduced Amudan, a reputed singer whose recent CDs were great hit in Sri Lankan community. Mr. Bissonnet urged him to sing. Though we did not understand the wordings of his Tamil rendition, it was not hard to guess that he was a follower of Saibaba and the Bhakti movement as he invoked the names of Allah, Rama, Buddha, Jessus in his song. Following lunch, during the photo session on the stairs of the parliament the Speaker again egged on Amudan to sing. He began with Allah Huakbar, Lai llaha... It was almost absurd -- a Hindu chanting Allah Huakbar, in the foyer of a purely Christian parliament to the discernable disdain of perhaps an atheist cameraman. God works in mysterious ways. Only Ian Martel (booker winning author of Life of Pi Patel) could conjure up such a surrealist scene. We bade good bye with happy feeling and wondering how long we could remain citizens of Canada. Everywhere in Quebec city and Quebec, the phrase Je me souvien (I remember the past) can be seen. In every number plate in Quebec this phrase is inscribed on the top; an ominous reminder to the rest of English Canada that French Canadian nationalism is very much alive and one day, unless innovative solution is found, Canada may regrettably disintegrate.