"Two Nations Under God with Liberty and Justice for None"

So it begins. It’s the morning after the night before and the drunken exuberance on Parliament Hill seems to have left the entire Country with a hangover.

What follows are excerpts from various news articles, public statements and opinions that have been expressed across Canada, in the United States and around the world today. The day after the Canadian Parliament adopted a motion to recognize Quebec as a nation, within Canada, by a vote of 266 to 16.

When it comes to the Pandora’s Box this has opened, I believe the following excerpts say it all.

“United we stand, divided we fall” or perhaps a more appropriate phrase comes from Alice Cooper’s classic hit, “Welcome to my Nightmare”.


…Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said that if Quebec deserves special recognition, then so do Canada's aboriginals.

…Harper's move to recognize Quebec as a nation within Canada was passed decisively through parliament but opponents say it could eventually tear the country apart.

…The Newfoundland and Labrador Defense League, a provincial advocacy group, has approached at least one MP from that province to push for a motion to recognize that province, which was once an independent nation. The group is also circulating a petition on the subject.

…It is the formalization of the Balkanization of Canada on the way to perfecting the North American Union. The craftsmen are bent on destroying sovereignty and nationhood for all citizens.

…What is being proposed now is that we will have the Québécois (and that will imply Quebec, whether we want to or not) as being one nation and the rest of Canada another nation. Quebec separatists will use this as an argument to nullify the Clarity Act, as one nation can't impose conditions on another nation, stop paying taxes to Ottawa, etc. Civil disobedience will run rampant.

…critics say the move could bolster efforts by pro-independence Quebecers who now plan to push for extra powers such as the right to speak at international meetings.

…Discussions regarding the fundamental structure of our country are delicate and potentially devastating. They should never be brought up willy-nilly in an attempt to curry regional political favour. There is simply too much to lose.

…it is a measure of its ambiguity -- a studied and contrived ambiguity -- that the resolution can be interpreted in so many lovely ways.

…veteran Ontario francophone MP Diane Marleau, among a cluster of Liberals…angrily blamed Michael Ignatieff for sparking the "stupidity we're getting into."

…How will it inform our challenge to bring this country together when there are four or five interpretations possible?” he said. “This puts us into word-smithing, into semantics, and it puts us into games playing that I think has harmed this country in the past. – Gerard Kennedy, Liberal leadership candidate.

…Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May says that yesterday's House of Commons vote to recognize Quebec as a nation within Canada is a shameful example of political expediency that could come back to haunt a future Canadian government.

…Quebec as a nation within a nation, but with no powers, is the first formalization of Canadian disintegration.

…Sovereigntist lawyer Guy Bertrand says Quebec needs its own hockey team as much as any other nation. Bertrand, wants Quebec to field a team for the world hockey championships in 2008.