As of late, I have seen a few discussions in the blogosphere with regards to the province of Quebec.  There are plenty who feel that Canada would be better off without la belle province, that endless seas of cash seem to flow in their direction and, no matter what the rest of Canada does, it’s never good enough for them and becomes an expensive pander-fest.

While I can see where some of the complaints are coming from, and agree with a few of them, I feel that a Canada without Quebec would be the destruction of something beautiful.

You see, Quebec is a fundamental part of the history of this country.  Despite the fact that John Cabot explored Canada’s Atlantic Coast for England in 1497, and Jacques Cartier explored the St. Lawrence River for France in 1534, it was Samuel du Champlain that founded the first European settlements at Port Royal in 1605 and Quebec city in 1608, respectively.

Those were the first official Canadian colonies.

Following the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, subsequently by the Treaty of Paris and Royal Proclamation of 1763, where most of France’s North American colonies were ceded to Great Britain, the Crown made every and all attempt to make the people of Lower Canada (Quebec) feel welcome in the dominion.

In 1774, British Parliament passed the Quebec Act, where they no longer forced Quebecers to adhere to the Protestant faith and allowed them to be free to practice Catholicism.  They enabled the use of the civil code for all issues other than public governance (a holdover from the French Civil Code) and expanded the territories of that province.  In 1791, British Parliament passed the Constitutional Act, dividing the Canadian dominion into Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec), granting each province its own elected Legislative Assembly.

So the importance of preserving Quebec culture goes back to King George III.  They were able to keep their language, their religion and their way of life.  This isn’t something unique to Canada in the last 20 years – it has been happening for 200.

They were treated as Canadian equals then, as they are now.

Quebecers strongly opposed the American invasion during the War of 1812.  They fought and died defending this country from American aggression.

They fought in World War I and in World War II.

They continue to serve proudly in our Armed Forces today.

What is the point of this history lesson, you may ask?

Well, I don’t think for a second that Quebec needs to be kicked out of anywhere.  Whether we like it or not, it belongs to the very core of this country, being one of the original four in the Constitution Act of 1867.  It a part of what makes Canada what it is.

This is why we are not only a part of the Commonwealth, but a member of the Francophonie as well.

You see, I’ve read several derogatory remarks after the introduction of this Conservative budget with regards to Quebec receiving $2 billion from Ottawa to implement their HST like it was another free-handout to a province that seems to want more and more.

The fact is – they didn’t receive payments for implementing it when they did.  Ontario and British Columbia received payouts from Ottawa for implementing the HST immediately.  Flaherty promised money to Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island.  The $2 billion is to make good on an election promise for something Quebec didn’t receive when they should have.  You know, because the Prime Minister keeps election promises (it is hard to believe, I know).

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  Pardon the use of the term – Quebec is a distinct society.  Most people who complain have never been there – it is not like English-speaking Canada at all.  It is culturally distinct, linguistically distinct and is bound historically to Canada.

Sure, the fact that they receive billions in transfer payments, while the separatists still complain about leaving and about how crappy Canada is, is a pain in the ass.  Don’t I know that.  The majority of Quebec’s social programs are funded by the province of Ontario (indirectly through Ottawa – about 40% of all federal government revenues comes from Ontario) and there is little thanks for it.

That doesn’t mean we destroy our country in a fit of rage.

But I’m rambling here.  The point I am trying to make is this: the Province of Quebec is a part of Canada.

Talking about kicking it out, or having them separate, is as un-Canadian as talk of Western separation.  This country was built on tolerance for people of all religions and backgrounds going back to the very core of its acquisition into the British Empire, to its seat at the table during the creation of Canada.

Quebec is a part of Canada, and there it should stay.  Period.