Quebec politicians are expressing strong annoyance and even outrage after Ontario politicians took note of the Parti Québécois’ loudly advertised promise to hold a sovereignty referendum if it wins the upcoming provincial election. The PQ is currently well-positioned to form government.
Ontario's Concerns Over Referendum Instability
Some Lower Canadians argue it is unfair that Upper Canadians would portray the prospect of such a referendum as a destabilizing factor in efforts to lure the headquarters of the new Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB) to Toronto, rather than its supposedly rightful home in Montreal. The DSRB was conceived to help NATO members finance defence projects; Canada recently won the bid to host its headquarters and is now deciding on a location.
Quebec Officials React
Jean Boulet, Quebec’s minister responsible for Canadian relations, called it a “fear campaign.” Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada sniffed, “When you resort to fear tactics, it’s because you don’t have much to show for yourself.” Quebec’s International Relations Minister Christopher Skeete said, “Toronto always wins when Quebec is divided,” which a Torontonian might find ironic given Toronto’s rare victories.
Liberal house leader Marc Tanguay conceded that a referendum is a destabilizing force, adding, “Quebec isn’t going to secede, because Charles Milliard’s Liberal party is here.” A source told La Presse that Toronto’s promoters are using the referendum issue to undermine Montreal’s candidacy, barely concealing irritation.
Montreal's Pitch
Mayor Martinez Ferrada aggressively took the high road, citing Montreal’s trilingual population and ability to build an airplane from A to Z. However, these factors are not directly relevant to where a bank should be located. Airbus builds planes in Mirabel, not Montreal, and Bombardier builds private jets in Mississauga, near Toronto.
Meanwhile, Quebec is already setting expectations for hosting the bank. Economy Minister Bernard Drainville said Friday that “ideally” whoever heads it should speak French.
Questioning the Need for a Physical Headquarters
The author questions why the bank needs a physical headquarters at all, noting that Vancouver and Ottawa-Gatineau are also bidders. It is essentially a pot of money that will either be loaned or not. The Bank of Montreal is not even based in Montreal except as a formality, and few Boston sports fans know what TD stands for in TD Garden.
Even the PQ objects to the Ontarian tactics. Quebec City MNA Pascal Paradis said, “People in Toronto are building a campaign based on fear of hypothetical instability that has not been proven.” The author retorts that holding a referendum on secession inherently desires instability—the instability of establishing independence. While it can be honourable work, it is difficult, especially if one insists on always speaking French to the world. But that is what the PQ says it wants.
