First off, to inforrm my fellow Québécois Frosti that This Hours has 22 minutes and Royal Canadian Air Farce are Canadian humor shows. I believe the first were behind that famous petition to get a referendum to force Stockwell Day, should he be elected, to change his name to Doris Day, based on his promise to have a referendum if a petition of over 100 000 names was handed to the govt for anything.
Last I checked they had far more than their 100 000 requirement. Just too bad Day didn't get elected >=).
Anyway, back on track, to answer your questions in turn
"Well anyways, heres my question. What is everyones opinion on Quebec?"
If you mean the matter of Québec's independance, absolute "who cares"ism. It is about the opinion of most of the province of Québec, which explains why the Parti Québécois is being hit so hard in the partial elections to replace resigning representatives). They still can't get off their high horse about making Québec independant, and the most of the rest of us are just plain getting bored of hearing about it once every two weeks.
Down with Landry! Bring back Bouchard! He knew how to let that idea not be mentioned too much.
"Should it be allowed to become an independent nation?"
If a majority of the population vote in support of the notion, then the Canadian government should negociate with them on finding appropriate terms for separation. While it is not stated anywhere that provinces are allowed to leave the federation, it would be unreasonable to try to hold on - and against the idea of democracy. If a majority of inhabitants from a territorial entity part of a larger one no longer wishes to be part of the larger one, then trying to ignore their wish and force them to stay in is the kind of thing Milosevic and the like would be known for (of course they actually went and used violence).
"Dose it have the resources to remain a leading power on its own with out Canada?"
Perhaps not a leading power ; but an independant Québec could probably make-do not too badly. There would have to be changes, of course, and certain of them would be hurtful, but Québec isn't exactly a resource-poor province.
"How would Canada fend with the loss of this province?"
Aside from the already mentioned breach between the atlantic provinces and the mainland Canada, it probably wouldn't affect them so much ; especially if a reasonable form of economical partnership was developed, something which the very powerful Ontario is almost certain to push for, given their economical interest in trade with Québec.
"How would America be affected?"
America proper would be little affected, unless either side pushed it down from political niceties into open civil war. How America is affected is really up to Canada, though - if they play fair in the negociations and try to keep things stable in North America, there would be no realy effect on the US of A. On the other hand, if they play dirty, the effect may hardly be as nice.
"How would North American Trade be affected?"
It depend on a number of factor, especially how the split is made. If it includes guarantees for trade without border import rates wars, it probably would affect little. This would be especially true if America quickly and efficiently negociated including Québec in the major trade agreements of North America. Again, all this is dependant on how Canada and the US choses to play their cards.
With Jean Chrétien as Prime Minister, I wouldn't be too optimist about it.
"Obviously, it's not as simple as "we voted yes, so when do get it?". What would happen with all the English-speaking people in, say, Montreal, for instance? "
They would be allowed to do as they please. I'd say they'd still be allowed to learn their language in school (as first language), and since everyone learns it and it is the "world language" at present, well, there's no real problem of them no longer being part. Of course should they wish to leave, they would be allowed too, but I would be extremely surprised if things becamse all that worse for the English Québecers than they are now - and they aren't bad, in general opinion.
The only people complaining about the situation fo the english québecers are those who look in Ontario and are jealous that they can't control nearly everything there as the english people do there. Of course they don't realize that they are far better off than the French in Ontario and Acadia, but heh. Imbeciles are everywhere.
"I met some Canadians in Cuba from Quebec (a bit of tongue twister there) who were positively weird. They were very unsocialble and generally didn't leave there parents for a minute. I met a English speaking Canadian (though from China) they were normal. Maybe its just that Quebecians are too unfriendly too remain apart of Canada. "
WTH? Maybe it has to do with them not speaking english, especially if they were kids? As for not leving their parents, well, *shrugs* It happens. Not everyone is a social animal - there are people like that in every society in the world.
Too unfriendly to remain a part of Canada? That sounds like an open insult to all Québecers out here...Frankly, if you base your opionions of Québec on one little encounter with Québecers, that's rather pathetic.
"What kind of foreign policy would an independent Quebec follow? "
Closer ties with France are a given. However, while we might leave the Commonwealth, we certainly wouldn't sever all ties with it, and would of course be friendly to our massive southern Neighbor we all know and love. We'd also probably try to maintain strong economic ties with the rest of Canada.
"I understand that Quebecians were on the most advent supporters for Canada's involvement in the First and Second World War. [Thanks for Quebec]. Is this true?"
Involvement in the war, not really - they didn't really go out to protest against it, but they didn't go out to support it. They just weren'T really interested either way - though not to the US of A point of not interested. What they did get out to protest against in both case was conscription. Québec as a whole did not want to go out there to let themselves be butchered as Cannon fodder in a british war. (as both were seen ; there wasn't all that much love for France until Charles de Gaule shot off his famous comment, given that they had abandoned us way back).
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