As a Canadian, I have an intimate familiarity with the issues that divide French and English Canada. It is interesting to read an "outsiders" perspective, because it is a classic demonstration of how history can be misinterpreted and misunderstood. Although John Graham is quite correct in his summary of "the legal facts" regarding the possible separation of Quebec from Canada, what he fails to convey, and perhaps understand, is the sentiment of the people.

It seems that Canadians enjoy an international reputation as a peace-loving, perhaps polite, content people, and this is true to a great degree....provided the status quo is maintained. The "Masses" in Canada, saw many of the machinations of the government over the possibility of Quebec separation, as appeasement and the conferring of "special status" on the people of Quebec by primarily Quebec based politicians. This did not sit well with English Canada and resulted in the overwhelming rejection of the Meech Lake Accord. This was an important event in the political dance around separation, for it was an emphatic rejection of a political attempt to appease Quebec any further. In Quebec, it bolstered the Separatists position as a further demonstration of English Canada's unwillingness to recognize Quebec's "Distinct Society" and led to the votes on separation of the early 1990's.

What no one talked about, but everyone seemed to understand in English Canada, was that, they could vote all they want, and the politicians can say and do what they want, but if Quebec succeeded in garnering the 50% + 1 votes necessary for separation......."the party's over!" There was no way that the rest of Canada was going to sit by as polititian (primarily from Quebec....Trudeau, Mulroney, Chretien) allowed the country to be divided.

As a lifelong student of the American Civil War, I have seen many parallels between the "Fire-Eaters" and the "Quebec Separatists". Many a times I have wanted to say "....and what do you think would happen next?" The Confederacy may have been surprised by the reaction of President Lincoln and his declaration to raise troops to surpress the rebellion, but they shouldn't have been. There was no way of dividing the country peacefully. At some point, there would have been a "Fort Sumter".