true
you cannot forbid a country from using your currency

also, just to clarify a thing or two about Hong Kong's situation after its return to the PRC (People's Republic of China)... China, after the return of Hong Kong, implemented a "One country, two systems" principles with regards to Hong Kong... for the next 50 years following its return, HKSAR (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) will remain a capitalist semi-nation.. the only thing that HKSAR doesn't control is themilitary basically... its almost entirely free of China.

but back to the topic at hand...
quebec could probably fare very well for itself economically if it were its own nation...
there would have to be major reforms in the political system of course (since we are teh province that receives the most federal aid and has the least conditions over the federal aid we receive)
but any place with natural resouorces (if properly governed and maintained) cannot be poor... everyone needs what we offer. you cannot build anything without the building blocks
we have the, what? second largest?, aluminum producing plants on earth? we have cheap renewable energy, we have plenty of forestry and clean, fresh water...
i think we'd do fine on our own.
but i still dont see why we should have to
we'd still heavily rely on canadian trade and US trade.
anyhoo.. its late. i have no more energy to invest in this at this moment

yeah.. tahts what i said.. they were returned to the PRC

thereby... 99 years having passed, it was returned on July 1, 1997

but its not independence, just like Labrador, is it gonna gain "independence" from Newfoundland after it;s returned to Quebec?

East Timor? they gained Independence from Indonesia on February 27th 2002
That's actually the ONLY country that's gained any type of independence in Asia in the last 15 years....

But Hong Kong never asked for freedom, I don't even think there was a ribbon cutting. Hong Kong was "leased" from China for 99 years beginning on June 30 1898 after defeating China in the last Opium Wars. They feared that the Chinese would easily take it back seeing as there was no real British presence in that part of the world.
aaaaaanyhooo......

everything

yeah... im a fucking sexy bastard

(also, that's all me... i don't need to kill no baby seals to cover myself in fur)

homo-in'

I'm begining to wonder if anyone actually does any research before posting..
because i'd say about 90% of the comments in this thread are historically inaccurate or just plain wrong

ummm.. japan was never a colony of the british empire
it's been free and independent since oh, 2000BC?
it was only occupied by the Us after WWII from August 15, 1945 till somewhere in 1952, at which point they adopted a pacifist constitution

they dont have a national independence day

i dont know what country youre thinking of, but the only asian country i could think of is Hong Kong, and let me tell you, they didnt want to be free at all... they would have much rather stayed british... becoming communist again after 99 years of capitalism and freedom
and it was on July 1 1997 that they were handed back to teh PRC

no
kiss and make out

stupid mtl

oh baby
i cant wait

i never got that...
and i put my email address everywhere

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright—
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there,
After the day was done—
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead-
There were no birds to fly.


The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head—
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat—
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more—
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes- and ships- and sealing wax-
Of cabbages- and kings—
And why the sea is boiling hot-
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed—
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said.
"Do you admire the view?"

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf—
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchiefs
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none—
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

hey look.. the first one was horrible.. the second WAS actually better

godfather, american pie 2

i'm not arguing against quebecers' rights to secede from canada
i agree that they have the right.
all i'm saying is that i don't think they're going about it the right way and that they don't have the right attitude... what would change within quebec were it to separate... nothing.. the only difference i might see is stricter language laws? and how would that help anyone? it would make quebec more oppressive toward its own people

its not illegal.. its unconstitutional

damnit
ida taken that

yes, that's correct

in my own worthless opinion, countries need not define treasonous actions which lead to its breakup. look at great britain, it has allowed countless countries to secede grom its grasp. it has done so (more or less) with grace and nobility. it fought, but it realized that cultural differences around the globe are too great to bundle them into one mass. patriotism (or pride) is not always a good thing. if cultural discrepancies arise that are large enough to merit a part of a country to form its own satellite, then it should be allowed to do so. disallowing such an act would be immoral. it's like not allowing freedom of speech or religion. basic rights.

also in my worhtless opinion, i strongly believe that the french nationalists in quebec dont have such a wide cultural gap as to merit their own nation. there are plenty of different cultures within canada and we've all learned to coexist peacefully. quebec has the most freedom out of any other province in canada, its own constitution is not needed.

*cough*
the canadian supreme court said that should a majority arise that wants to separate from canada, that action is unconstitutional, but failing to allow said action would be immoral and on that basis should be allowed

and ian, things not mentioned in the constitution are not unconstitutional, that's why we have amendments, to define whether or not newly arising issues are indeed constitutional.

wtf??

wtf?

that was drole

but that was still freaking great!!!
potholes... oh man

hey
I'm italian
and i speak italian french and english VERY well.
i have high school degrees in all three languages
pft... and im neither from st.leo or lasalle

Been so excited to go on a date with someone, only to fall asleep and miss her call, thereby (quite possibly) ruining your chances of ever getting another date with her?
Well I have. And boy, let me tell you.... Wow. It's great.

i love you ian

can wait for tomorrow!!!
i have tickets for 5 rows up from the glass behind the montreal bench

yeah
fool.. that aint no depeche mode

yeah... 1986 called... said it wanted its joke back

bogus...

whats wrong with cuddling?

uh no.
first off, louisiana is only frnech because the acadians were forced to move there after the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) when they were given one year to declare loyalty tothe british or get out.. and once war broke out between the english and the french in the 1750s, the english were angry at the acadians (who never swore allegiance) so they chose to go to louisiana because it was still under frnech control (at the time, it was sold to the english to support napoleon's war efforts in europe in like 1788 or somethign)
and of the french "colonies" elsewhere in canada that you mentioned, i think only one was founded before 1940, kapuskasing, it was founded in like 1913 or something, originally as an internment camp for prisoners during WWI
and the colonies that you claim were in saskatchewan were metis, a mix of french and natives who never really held any ties to french pride.

ian = homo

seriously... that? for $4 million?????

that guy looks like hes waiting to get bukkaked