A Quebecer’s paean to Ontario
As an author from Quebec, JeanLouis Roy has a well-thought out answer for a question he has been asked numerous times: why write a book about Ontario?
It can be boiled down to one statement: as Ontario goes, so goes the nation.
In Roy’s newest book, Ontario in Transition, he heralds Quebec’s neighbour as “a society that is among the world’s most diverse and most advanced, in terms of freedom, material well-being, and quality of life.”
He argues that wherever Canada’s headed, despite the oil-fuelled surge of the West’s profile, it can’t get there without Ontario.
In its original French version, the book’s title, “Chers voisins: Ce qu’on ne connait pas de l’Ontario,” implies Quebecers have a few things to learn about their neighbours.
But in an interview, Roy suggested all Canadians should take note of what is happening in Ontario.
“(Canadians) have to develop a new knowledge about what we are, on this continent . . . and in this world,” he said. “What will happen to Ontario is central to answering those questions.” The former publisher of Quebec’s Le Devoir newspaper commends Ontario’s ability to manage its diversity and benefit from its varied populace, discusses how its economy has been forced into transformation, and notes its investments in culture, calling Toronto “the country’s cultural capital,” after Quebec and the Ottawa region. Roy began his research for the book in 2008 and describes it as a “conversation” — 120 formal interviews and “countless” chats with Ontarians informed his arguments. The English version was launched in Toronto in March. He set out to paint a portrait of Ontario as it is now, and tried not to delve too much into history, com- pare Ontario with Quebec or any other province, or to touch off a federalist debate.
He pointed out the relationship between Quebec and Ontario began 175 years ago and is still going strong. Roy noted there are131commercial flights between Montreal and Toronto a day. Quebec companies such as Bombardier, Desjardins and Quebecor are all active in this province.
Highway 401 holds families and friendships together.
So, he says, it’s in the best interest of both provinces, and the country, to forge a rapprochement between the neighbouring central provinces, which account for 58 per cent of Canada’s total GDP ($882 billion), and are home to 21 million inhabitants and $204 billion in exports.
“When you look at all that you can see on these territories, the cities and the universities and arts, this was done by seven generations, eight generations of people only. That’s short, he said.
“We have done all that, and to stay attractive and to stay affluent and have access to social security and culture, we will have to work together. There is no other way.”