Excerpt of Why I Am a Separatist by Marcel Chaput

This is a translated excerpt of Pourquoi je suis séparatiste (Why I Am a Separatist), a book by Marcel Chaput first published in 1961 at Les Éditions du Jour. This is an original and unofficial translation for this site.

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Preface

The world is made of separatists. The man who is master is his house is separatist. The 100 nations of the Earth which seek to preserve their national identity are separatist. France and England are mutually separatist, even before the Common market. And you who desire the patriation of the Canadian constitution, you are separatist. The only difference that exist between you and me is that you want the independence of Canada vis-a-vis England and the United States whereas I want the independence of Quebec with relations to Canada. In mathematical terms, the independence of Quebec is to Canada what the independence of Canada is to the United States and England. However, Quebec has more reasons than English Canada to assert such particularism since of all four territories, Quebec is distinct by its culture while English Canada, the United States and England are identical by their language.

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In spite of all this, separatism has always received bad press in Quebec. The term "separatism" itself is doubtless partly responsible for it. It is negative. It does not seem to invite us to the construction of something.

And still, for the person who stops and thinks about it, separatism lead to great tasks: to that of Independence and Liberty, to the Blossoming of the nation and French grandeur in America.

It is fashionable in some circles to call separatists dreamers. Thank God if there are still men an women in French Canada who can dream! But to grasp the distinction between the realizable dream and the utopia we must first be able to detach ourselves from a certain subjective dogmatism which has us immediately reject the independence of Quebec before it has even been thought through.

It is true that independence is more a question of character than logic. Because is not independent who wants to be. More than reason, one needs pride.

If you have this pride of which free men are made, if you can rid yourself of all preconceived ideas on the subject and bring to the discussion a sincere mind capable of judgement, then and only then, let us sit and talk.

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Plan

6 SECTIONS, 21 BOOKS

THE SIX DIMENSIONS: Historical, Political, Economic, Cultural, Social, Psychological

THE FIVE SOLUTIONS: Assimilation, Integration, Autonomy, Confederation, Independence

THE FOUR QUESTIONS: Legitimacy, Viability, Opportunity, Possibility

THE THREE OBJECTIONS: Minorities, Isolation, Immaturity

THE TWO OPTIONS: Minority, Majority

THE ONLY REASON: Dignity

The Six Dimensions

Psychological

In the country of confusion

It must be that the French-Canadian nation has been of an incomparable vitality to have survived not the open attacks, but to the disfavorable psychological conditions in which she lives since such a long time. Because, for the French Canadian, Canadian life is a web of daily contradiction which constitute the greatest method of brainwashing ever invented. Under such conditions, very few peoples would have lasted.

You think I exaggerate, that the Canadian psychological climate offer nothing very bad? Let us see together some of those contradictions to which any national of a normal people is exempted and on the contrary inside which the French Canadians struggle daily:

- He is Canadian, but he is also French Canadian - His country is Canada as a whole, but he is accepted only in Quebec - He is told he belongs to the great French civilization, but he soon hears about the "damned French". - He must be bilingual; the others are unilingual. - He is told in school and other places the beauties of the French language; he is pushed to learn English. - He is told that Canada is a bicultural country; he can hardly obtain service in French West of Montreal. - He thinks he speaks an international language; the words Speak White are spit in his face. - He enters a French language university; he studies in American manuals. - He is told about national unity, but is ordered: "Stay in your province". - He is told loudly that Canada is an independent country; everyday, he sees the Queen of another country on his currency and his stamps. - He is told that his province is the richest; it is always in his province that there is the most unemployment. - He is told that he can accede to all positions, but he is imposed the additional obligation of bilingualism. - He is called to feel for Canada; he is played God Save the Queen. - He sees the Fleur-de-Lys flag on June 24 flown at the mast of buildings; a week later he sees the Red Ensign flown to the mast of the City Hall - He is exhorted to rid himself of his inferiority complex; he is told he does not have the maturity to manage himself. - He is incited to feel proud and he is proposed a sheep as emblem.

And it goes on like that until death follows. And one wonders why the local merchant does not have to self-pride to advertize in French, that the young man from around here does not have the audacity for great endeavours, that the young first-of-class suddenly looses his enthusiasm.

One would wish to make a people die that there would be no need to use other means.

The Only Reason

A people that wants to live must do something else than not dying. - Lionel Groulx

Dignity

One hundred and fifty pages to demonstrate the advantages of an independent Quebec is very little when each of the aspects being treated could produce an entire book. And still, one hundred and fifty pages is a lot. In fact, it is way too much. Unless one writes the word "dignity" one hundred and fifty times.

Is this patrioticking lyricism - to give a beautiful ending - worthy of crowning a work of this kind? Or is it a mathematical necessity imposed by the pyramidal chapter structure?

It is showing a profound misunderstanding of men and peoples de le donner a entendre. Man does not only live on bread and the French-Canadian nation cannot be asked to live in daily contempt any longer.

These are neither words of anglophobia arising from a two-century old feeling of vengeance. It this was the reason of independence, the success of our cause would soon be compromised, because life teaches us that nothing stable could be built on the burning sands of hatred.