[LINK] "New film looks at Quebec's inability to achieve sovereignty"

[rfmcdonald]

Nelson Wyatt's article covers what sounds like an interesting film.

In the 40-plus years since Quebecers began proclaiming some desire to become sovereign, more than 100 countries have achieved independence.

But not Quebec. It has more political power, it has gone through two referendums - one in which sovereigntists came achingly close to winning - but it's still part of Canada. The fate of non-sovereign Quebec, Scotland and Catalonia are explored in "National Matters," a new documentary by filmmakers Roger Boire and Jean-Pierre Roy that is screening at Montreal's World Film Festival.

Economic security and concern about what an independent state might look like are cited as two of the reasons for Quebec's inability to break away. And then there's the explanation by Bernard Landry, the firebrand former premier and ex-leader of the Parti Quebecois.

"First, WE were Canada," he said in the documentary, pointing out his ancestors had referred to themselves as "Canayans" and everybody else was "the English." The anthem that became "O Canada" was first composed for the Societe St-Jean Baptiste, he points out.

"Trying to explain to my grandfather why we had to separate from Canada, since Canada was part of his identity, was as if we were asking him to cut himself in half," Landry said.

It was a take that surprised the filmmakers, who didn't expect that to be Landry's first explanation for why his option has so far fallen short.

"That was very interesting for him to say that," said Boire, who says he personally has maintained a healthy skepticism of both the federalist and sovereigntist options.