[LINK] "PQ's road to separation leads to Copenhagen"

[rfmcdonald]

In my final Canada/Copenhagen-related post of the day, I'd like to note that Harper's policies may well help out Québec separatists.

Quebec sovereigntists have wasted no time pouncing on the climate change issue as the latest argument to break up Canada, making their case at the very outset of a major UN summit.

The Parti Québécois issued the sovereigntist call to arms on the hot-button issue Monday as Prime Minister Stephen Harper prepared to attend the environmental conference at Copenhagen.

The PQ argued in an open letter that if international sanctions are eventually imposed on environmental laggards, "Canada's irrresponsible position" could wind up hurting Quebec industry.

That opening salvo underscored the national-unity minefield Harper will be wading through in Denmark as he searches for safe ground among the competing interests of Canada's provinces.

In her letter Monday, PQ international affairs critic Louise Beaudoin said "the non-sovereignty of Quebec has a price" — and that the cost of staying in Canada will grow with time.

"Quebec must get out of this regrettable position as quickly as possible," Beaudoin wrote in Montreal newspaper La Presse. "And to do this there's only one solution, getting complete independence."

[. . .]

The Bloc Québécois has already accused Harper of being soft on Alberta, whose economy is based on fossil fuels, at the expense of less-polluting provinces.

One political scientist said the climate-change issue may have presented sovereigntists with an ideal wedge to drive between Quebec and Canada.

"There is a distinct disconnect here between the Quebec position and the federal position based on interests that are very easy to identify and understand," said Pierre Martin of the Université de Montréal.

While it's still possible to turn things around, Martin said the issue could be useful to sovereigntists if it festers because it's a new angle and it's easy to understand.

Although the environment hasn't proven pivotal with voters before, he said the game-changer would be any sanctions on poor performers.

Because it would be included in Canada's tally, Quebec could still get nailed even though it has achieved major emissions reductions in recent years, Martin noted.

"Quebec's exports would be taxed just as if the greenhouse gas emitting operations were taking place on our own territory," Martin said. "There is a potential for a potent economic issue that people can easily understand and that makes sense."

Martin said Premier Jean Charest could fend off the sovereigntists in Quebec by being tougher on the federal government, entrenching himself as the best defender of Quebec's interests.

Québec draws most of its power from hydroelectric projects, the successful development of these projects being one of the key achievements of modern Québec.. You could argue that the province was pre-prepared. Vive le Québec libre et vert?