60 years (they've been around for 400 and were subjects of the French Kings, the church, the British and, later, white business people). Indigenous people have been relegated to the remote areas often hit or miss with the resources underneath, mostly miss and little power or agency for 200 years. Quebec has gotten many concessions from the federal government recognizing its unique language and such. It also get a lot of transfer payments. To compare the vibrant cities and towns of southern Quebec and their markets to indigenous outpost life is ridiculous. This is Canada: being in indigenous country puts you 1000 miles away from a city or a market often. Thankfully the internet is leveling things a bit. There has been a truth and reconciliation commission. People can connect and build community across the country and are not dependent on their tenuous ties to southern cities. I had a friend whose Aunts were indigenous. Didn't matter they were middle class moms they got treated bad by Hull police when they went to a bar in Hull, Quebec (across the river from Ottawa at the time 30 years ago). A woman dying in a northern hospital video recorded her lack of treatment and distain by the staff at the hospital before she died there. That was in the past 2 years. But there is a renaissance amongst the indigenous. French Quebec had its' rebirth in the 1960s and 1970s. I suspect the separatist Blanchette wants to forge stronger ties with the indigenous people as the last time they had a vote to separate from Canada, indigenous Cree were saying they might like to split off in their own country too (and take ownership of a ****load of hydro electric power with them). That was novel for Quebecers to have to think of the breakup of their province. Thinking of the break up of your home is not fun. Canadians know it well.
NDP might split the vote with Liberals. I want the strongest one to get the votes. Green Party well respected here. Though Annemie Paul was new tonight to many anglophones. They are our climate conscience. Like Nader in the 1970s.
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