February 18, 1998
Many nations have achieved independence by their own will. Sovereignty itself rests upon the promise that one has inherent rights to self government. The most effective independence movements have never asked permission of anyone else to succeed. How long would the United States have waited for independence if they had required a legal opinion from the House of Lords giving them permission. The Czech Republic did not need permission from Slovakia to separate. Had they been required to get approval, it, a peaceful solution would not have been possible. Newfoundland joined Canada with 51% in the second ballot. If you require more popular support to get out then into the country it is more of a prison than a democratic nation.
Any sovereign nation can achieve independence when the will of the people in a legally recognized jurisdiction choose by simple majority to do so. A hundred judges or lawyers with a million "whereas," and "notwithstanding" cannot stop them. Anyone who denies the right of the people of Quebec to achieve their goal of nationhood by a majority of 50% plus one is really sticking their head in the sand. They, therefore may be caught off guard again by the combined force of the popular will which they continually underestimate.
For the past twenty years I have publicly advocated independence for Western Canada. In 1978 I began a political movement for this goal by peaceful means The Western Canada Concept is not taking part in the Supreme Court Reference because it is totally beyond the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court which is a creature of the Imperial Parliament in 1867 to decide if we or Quebec want to continue in that political arrangement.
Democracy does not need judges to tell us how we can vote or what percentage is required.
We share with the people of Quebec two things: Firstly, the belief the Federal system and the Ottawa government is a disaster for us all. Secondly, it is the will of the people of each province, and their will alone which can and should decide by simple majority if and for how long a province stays in the federal system. We are not slaves and do not want to be slaves to a system which denies us these rights. Anything else is tyranny and will not be tolerated by freedom-loving peoples in a democracy. Freedom and sovereignty are goals of such ideals that many of us value them as much as life itself.
The Prime Minister is asking the Supreme Court to rule that Quebec cannot legally act unilaterally. This is simple nonsense. This is the same method the NDP government used to frustrate the democratic will of the people of British Columbia who voted overwhelmingly in a province-wide referendum. They voted 80% in favor of the right of referendum and recall. The NDP passed an act which made recall so difficult, with so many absurd rules, it was unattainable. Chretien wants his Supreme Court to do the same with the seal of law.
If we are to learn from history, The Prime Minister's and the inevitable decision by the court that would make unilateral separation impossible to achieve can only lead to more division, suppression and even violence. The human will for freedom and liberty either triumphs or is shackled by a regime that is intent on limiting those freedoms. Quebeckers will not be shackled!
90% of those in Quebec believe they have the right to self determination including two leading federalists generals, Claude Ryan and (name) Johnson. Many Canadians who do not want to recognize Quebec's rights for freedom do not believe the 90% figure. In truth, 100 percent have the right to self determination and the Prime Minister and any court who might deny them this sacred right will learn an oft repeated lesson of History. The inspired human spirit is more supreme than any court of any land.
(Let us therefore cease judging one another, but rather make this simple judgement: that no obstacle or stumbling-block be placed in a brother's way. Romans 14:13)
To Interview Douglas Christie, call 250-385-1022