Péladeau, First Nations and the great divide
PQ scrambles to explain support for pro-partition aboriginal leader
Parti Québécois Leader Pierre Karl Péladeau has refused to take a position on whether the province could be carved up by minority groups in the event of sovereignty.
One day after First Nations leader Ghislain Picard opened the Pandora’s box of partition by saying he would consider borders “on the table,” in the event of separatism, Péladeau did not do what PQ leader’s usually do and defend Quebec’s existing borders tooth-and-nail.
Even Liberal premiers have maintained Quebec cannot be divided, quashing the notion a region like Montreal could set itself up as a city state in the event of sovereignty.
“People will have arguments, people will have requests, but this is open for dialogue,” Péladeau told reporters at a news conference wrapping up a two-day meeting of the PQ’s national council.
It was his second encounter with the media of the day and a second time where he faced questions sparked by Picard’s visit and speech Saturday. He had been no more forthcoming earlier.
“It’s clear it’s a vast work site,” Péladeau said earlier in the day. “It would be premature to talk about this but we will always be open to dialogue.”
Late Sunday, Péladeau’s staff issued a “clarification,” from the leader which says he is confident a PQ government and the First Nations will be able to reach “mutually beneficial” arrangements in the future while “respecting Quebec’s territorial integrity.”
The Quebec border issue raged for many years in the period before and after the 1995 sovereignty referendum with minority groups hatching schemes to remain part of Canada in the event of a Yes vote.
A PQ government did address the issue in 2000, in Bill 99, a response to Ottawa’s clarity act on the issue of sovereignty.
Article 9 of the bill states: The territory of Quebec and its boundaries cannot be altered except with the consent of the National Assembly. The Government must ensure that the territorial integrity of Quebec is maintained and respected.
In a question and answer section on independence on the PQ’s website, the question of borders is also addressed.
“Based on international law, a country which becomes independent conserves its borders intact,” the party states.
The debate roared to life Saturday following a speech by Picard, chief of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador. Picard got a thundering standing ovation when he told 350 PQ delegates he is an Innu sovereignist.
“I am Innu. I am sovereignist,” Picard said.
After the applause, he added that when he’s talking about sovereignty he’s talking about Innu sovereignty.
“Allow me to nuance. It’s important. My sovereignty is based on extremely profound feelings on my identity, my culture, my people, our territory. It’s the profound sense of our sovereignty as First Nations people.”
Later, Picard clarified, saying if a sovereignty referendum were held today he would not vote. He said he doesn’t see sovereignty happening in the immediate future, and the Innu — like several other First Nations — consider parts of Quebec’s territory theirs; a line that seems to suggest it could be partitioned in the event of a Yes — a taboo in sovereignty circles.
“In my view, everything is on the table including the territorial question,” Picard said.
Other PQ MNAs tried to clarify the party’s position.
“No, it’s not a path we envision, but I think there are ways were can work with First Nations,” Vachon MNA Martine Ouellet said Sunday.
Marie-Victorin MNA Bernard Drainville welcomed Picard, saying the PQ is in a listening mode.
“It’s very good that a First Nation leader comes and says to us, ‘We, too, have rights, and if self-determination is good for the Quebec nation, it’s also good for First Nations.’
“I think Quebec independence can be the occasion for a new start in relations between Quebecers and First Nations which are on our territory.”
The confusion marred Picard’s visit, which was supposed to be a signal to minorities that the PQ is under new management — it was Péladeau’s first council since becoming PQ leader six months ago — and interested in re-connecting.
Arriving Saturday, Péladeau said while he is pleased with the party’s standing among francophone voters as shown in a weekend Léger poll, the party has work to do with non-francophones — many of whom felt under attack in the days where the debate over PQ’s defunct charter of values raged.
Péladeau announced the creation of a committee to be chaired by Bourget MNA Maka Kotto to reach out and build bridges. The committee included Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Carole Poirier, who got off to a bumpy start when she refused to speak English to an anglophone television network.
On Sunday, Poirier clarified herself saying while she speaks English she is not comfortable in her second language under the heat of cameras at a news conference.
“I can express myself in English, there is no problem,” she said. “We are going to talk to anglophones in English. I am even taking courses in Italian.”
The PQ broke into groups to work on organizational issues to prepare for its next electoral battle in 2018. One key decision was to create a new sovereignty school to better educate workers and volunteers in modern political methods.
Gemma Calvet, a representative of the Catalonian sovereignty movement, got a hero’s welcome when she addressed a party workshop. There also was a moment of silence for the victims of the Paris terror attacks.
Part of Sunday morning was spent debating a package of antiausterity resolutions including a key one — adopted unanimously — formally supporting the demands of the common front, including an adjustment to help them catch up for past non-increases.
Such an idea would costs billions, and Péladeau seemed ready to ignore the motion.
“We are not at the negotiating table,” Péladeau said. “A collective agreement is more complicated than that. I obviously can’t go against what the membership said, but what I say is, there are nuances and details we are not aware of which impede us from definitely concluding.”
Péquistes also adopted motions calling on the next PQ government to ensure male-female parity in a theoretical future cabinet, and asking Quebec’s chief electoral officer to change the name of the riding of L’Assomption to Jacques Parizeau to honour the late leader.
And with much hoopla, péquistes passed a motion demanding Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard apologize for his comments a week ago where he accused the PQ and Coalition Avenir Québec of stoking the flames of intolerance for political reasons in the past.
There was no immediate response from the premier.