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Orono Weekly Times, Wednesday, November 1, 199,5 - 15 From Capital Hi!! Alex Shepherd MP Durham "Merci," "Non," "Thank you," were the messages hanging from a bridge as our bus moved slowly on the Montreal freeway making its way back to Durham last Friday evenîng. We sent four buses to the No Rally in Montreal, two of which were filled with stu- dents from our high schools. I apologize to those who were îeft behind we simply ran out of room. There was no exp ense to taxpayers. And I believe the opportunity to go to Montreal provided a valve to express our desire to keep the country intact. More importantîy the rally made an impression on Quebecers. Regardless of the referen- dum resuit it's clear to me that nothing lias been decid- ed. I haven't been one to get cauglit up in the country's internal wrangling but sim- ply- put Canada cannot afford this divorce. Canadiaâns who say, "let them go we want this to end," fail to realize there is no simple solution. For Quebecers separatism is ahl about ethnicity - it's not about more power. Control over language and culture to insure an anglo- phone and allophone mînor- ity neyer determines Quebec's future is the sepa- ratist goal. They want Canadians to believe we've subj ugated their abiîity to self determination. Bouchard comments about the whiite Frenchi nation's problems of bîrth rate strikes at the heart of the separatîsts' perceived problems. The fact that a good num- ber of francophones send their children to -private English schools is symp- tomatic of the separatists s0 called fears. Canada cannot walk away from a large- portion of Quebecers who are, and want to remain, Canadians. The separatists want to form a nation respecting exclusively the collective riglits of an elite'- the bomn in Quebec French Canadian. Yet deny indîvidual riglits - the foundation of democracy - to those who wish to remain Canadians. We will all be sucked into the resulting clô Canadians are proud of their nation strÊtching from sea to sea to seât They want to maintamn its geographical integrity. If the separatists win we must demand gateways to maintain physical contact with Atlantic Canada. And we must insU're -the St. Lawrence River remamns part of the country. Western Quebecers, ncluding those who live on Montreal Island, who I sus- pect will vote no, should be given the opportunity to remain. Constîtutional reform will not solve Canada's problems with Quebec. Separatists are not interested in any- thinïg short of separatism. Canadians, , ineluding Quebecers, are interested in a secure economie future. Constitutional wranglîng provides work for lawyers but not for the general work- ing pubic. During this debate the Reformn Party has not shown ariy national vision. They've only used the threat of sep- aration as an opportunity to further weaken the central govemment. Their national vision is comprised of a "cash regis- ter" govemment in Ottawa whi{eh collects your tax dol- lars andi hands them over to the province. This policy allows for the incubation of nîne more sep- aratist governments. Remember it wa7s the Reform Party Who said only 50 per cent plus one is ail that is needed for Quebec to sepa- rate. Other constitutional, democracies require two- thirds to 75-per-cent sup- port before a constitution can be changed which is what separation is. Imagine, breaking up -a country based on one per- centage point. And the Reform party has the nerve to cail itself national. I will be putting forward'a clear position in Ottawa on the cost of rupturing this nation. Shortly. I will be mailing a householder expanding on the' points outlined and soîiciting your views on how to renew Canada., BALLS RADIO & T.V. REPAUR REPAIRS TO MOST MAKES STEREOS, COLOUR AND B&W T.V.s AND V.C.R.s P.O. Box 27 R.R. 2, Orono, Ont. <905) 983-5721 COMPLETE CAR& TRUCK REPAIRS DIESEL ENGINES- CUMMINS, DETROIT & CAT RADIO DISPATCHED TOW TRUCKS MOBILE MECHANICAL SERVICE TRIUCK R.R., 1, ORONO, ONTARIO 4 MILES NORTH 0F 401 LOB 1MO ON HWY. 115 &35 PHONE (905) 983-9151 TUOUsANDS UPON TWOUS4ANDS or ÇIUDIA14S G4TI4EPEDTOAY IN MONTPEAL To SUOW m -QUEBECERS 4OW MUCI poliGI4MI* o~ ~ I