Quebec is not unique
The world of “Separatists” from many countries descended on Scotland as the Scots voted whether to separate from the United Kingdom. Be assured they were hoping for a “YES” vote to enhance their own opportunity to divide their home country as they felt necessary. There is something about a different language, colour, culture, status, wealth that brings out whatever is necessary to create turmoil and turmoil is as predictable as night follows day. Any country whether democratic or not, is a candidate for separatists. Some countries are better known than others for this event occurring. In some cases the idea to separate is a ploy to get the central government to give the so-called dividers more local power. I was not aware that the Corsicans want to leave France or that the German speakers of Sud-Tirol wanted a reunion with Austria or that the Okinawans want to leave Japan.
Some better known problem counties are these. Spain with the Catalonians and the Basques, Italy with the Venetians, Belgium with the Flanders and the Wallonians, China with the Xinjiangs, Iraq with the Iraqi Kurds , Ukraine with the Novorossiyas and of course my favourite Canada with Quebec. The irony associated with some of these people is that they want their own country with little resources and people. The Basques want to separate from Spain with 2.1 million people and 7200 sq. km of land. The Wallonians want to separate from Belgium with 3.5 million people and 17,000 sq.kmof land. At least the Quebecers have 1,500,000 sq km with real resources, but only 7.9 million people. It is the self-serving politicians of these minorities ,who are looking for power in a small country and don`t look to the future to see if their ideas are at all feasible.
