PAGE
      10
     
    
   
   
    
     
      How
      Do
      You
     
     
      Spell
      Relief?
      N-O
     
    
   
   
    
     
      by
      Christopher
      Michaud
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      votes
      are
      in,
      the
      count
      has
      been
     
     
      made,
      and
      a
      decision
      rendered.
      Canada
      is
     
     
      still
      one
      country,
      one
      whole
      piece,
      but
      just
     
     
      as
      uncertain
      today
      of
      its
      future
      as
      it
      was
     
     
      before
      the
      referendum.
     
    

    
     
      Well,
      the
      No
      side
      has
      won,
      but
     
     
      barely.
      How
      long
      did
      most
      of
      us
      stay
      glued
     
     
      to
      our
      TV
      sets
      that
      Monday
      night
      in
     
     
      October?
      I
      know
      I
      barely
      blinked
      away
     
     
      from
      the
      bottom
      right-hand
      side
      of
      my
     
     
      friend’s
      TV.
      The
      only
      time
      my
      view
      did
     
     
      shift
      was
      when
      the
      No
      side
      gained
      ground
     
     
      and
      reached
      the
      50%
      mark
      and
      moved
      to
     
     
      the
      left
      side
      of
      the
      screen.
      Even
      then,
      the
     
     
      No
      side
      fell
      back
      four
      times
      before
      claim-
     
     
      ing
      the
      50%
      mark
      and
      not
      giving
      it
      up.
     
    

    
     
      Here
      are
      a
      few
      facts
      and
      figures
      on
     
     
      the
      poll
      results.
      The
      No
      side
      did
      not
      reach
     
     
      the
      50%
      mark
      until
      after
      70%
      of
      the
      votes
     
     
      had
      been
      tabulated.
      The
      highest
      mark
      it
     
     
      reached
      was
      when
      it
      closed
      finally
      at
     
     
      50.67%.
      A
      numerical
      victory
      was
      called
     
     
      by
      the
      No
      once
      96%
      of
      the
      votes
      had
      come
     
     
      in.
      How
      close
      did
      the
      Yes
      side
      come
      to
     
     
      winning
      it?
      VERY
      CLOSE!!!
     
    

    
     
      When
      a
      map
      of
      Quebec
      was
      dis-
     
     
      played,
      almost
      the
      whole
      of
      the
      province
     
     
      was
      covered
      in
      blue,
      except
      for
      one
      little
     
     
      area.
      Considering
      that
      area
      has
      a
      popula-
     
     
      tion
      of
      over
      1.2
      million,
      it
      was
      the
      area
      that
     
     
      won
      it
      for
      the
      No
      side.
      The
      Island
      of
     
     
      Montreal
      won
      the
      referendum
      for
      the
      No
     
     
      side.
      I
      could
      almost
      say
      ‘‘so
      did
      the
      ethnic
     
     
      vote’,
      but
      Parizeau
      already
      put
      his
      foot
      in
     
     
      his
      mouth
      on
      that
      one,
      thank
      you.
     
    

    
     
      Okay,
      so
      where
      do
      we
      go
      from
     
     
      here?
      The
      fat
      lady
      has
      sung,
      but
      the
      whole
     
     
      thing
      is
      far
      from
      over.
      It
      is
      now
      time
      to
     
     
      talk.
      All
      right,
      so
      most
      of
      us
      are
      tired
      of
     
     
      hearing
      about
      talks.
      Meech
      Lake
      and
     
     
      Charlottetown
      didn’t
      solve
      anything.
     
     
      However,
      this
      time
      we
      have
      no
      choice.
     
     
      Canada
      and
      Quebec
      must
      sit
      down
      and
     
     
      talk.
      Personally,
      I
      don’t
      think
      my
      nerves
     
     
      could
      handle
      another
      referendum.
     
    

    
     
      The
      future
      of
      Canada
      rests,
      once
     
     
      again,
      in
      the
      hands
      of
      politicians.
      Remem-
     
     
      ber,
      we
      put
      those
      people
      there,
      so
      they
     
     
      have
      to
      finish
      the
      job.
      Scary
      thought,
      isn’t
     
     
      it?
      Canada
      and
      Quebec
      must
      look
      before
     
     
      they
      leap
      on
      the
      question
      of
      granting
     
     
      powers
      to
      anybody.
      Especially
      since
      if
     
     
      Quebec
      gets
      something,
      won’t
      the
      rest
      of
     
     
      the
      provinces
      want
      the
      same
      benefits
      in
     
     
      return?
     
    

    
     
      It
      is
      now
      time
      to
      turn
      out
      the
      lights
     
     
      and
      pull
      down
      the
      shades
      on
      the
      latest
     
     
      episode
      in
      Canadian
      politics.
      Carefully,
     
     
      though,
      because
      that
      blind
      could
      go
      rolling
     
     
      right
      back
      up
      in
      a
      snap
      if
      this
      question
      is
     
     
      not
      solved
      once
      and
      for
      all.
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
     
        
     
     
          
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Referendum
     
    
   
   
    
     
      and
      my.
      shaky
      knees
      took
      my
      seat
      wasn’t
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      PANTHER
      PRINTS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Finding
      A
      Voice
     
    
   
   
    
     
      he
      could
      literally
      ‘‘feel
      something
      in
      the
     
     
      air,
      something
      wonderful
      would
      happen’’.
     
     
      Williams
      believed
      the
      feeling
      went
      from
     
     
      coast
      to
      coast
      and
      resulted
      in
      a
      sound
     
     
      message
      being
      delivered
      to
      the
      people
      of
     
     
      Quebec.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      by
      Yvonne
      MacKean
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      Pro-Canada
      rally
      at
      Province
     
     
      House
      on
      October
      27
      was
      organized
      by
      two
     
     
      UPEI
      students.
      Ross
      Williams
      and
      Chris
     
     
      Burns
      were
      willing
      to
      discuss
      the
      rally.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      idea
      for
      the
      rally
      came
      from
      a
     
     
      discussion
      on
      how
      depressed
      both
      were
     
     
      about
      not
      having
      a
      voice
      in
      the
      Quebec
     
     
      issue.
      The
      two
      had
      feelings
      of
      helpless-
     
     
      ness.
      They
      shortly
      thereafter
      saw
      coverage
     
     
      of
      a
      rally
      in
      Toronto,
      when
      ‘‘the
      golden
     
     
      hammer
      of
      inspiration’’
      intervened
      said
     
     
      Williams.
      They
      decided
      to
      organize
      a
     
     
      rally.
      That
      same
      Tuesday
      evening
      each
     
     
      promised
      to
      get
      up
      the
      next
      morning
      and
      do
     
     
      something.
      Burns
      was
      in
      charge
      of
      con-
     
     
      tacting
      the
      Premier’s
      Office
      and
      Williams
     
     
      was
      to
      talk
      to
      a
      professor
      about
      some
     
     
      contact
      names.
      Later
      in
      the
      morning
      than
     
     
      he
      had
      planned,
      Burns
      got
      a
      permit
      and
     
     
      spoke
      to
      the
      Premier’s
      Office.
      Williams
     
     
      said
      ‘‘when
      he
      told
      me
      Wednesday
      morn-
     
     
      ing
      that
      he
      had
      the
      permit,
      there
      was
      no
     
     
      turning
      back’’.
      Both
      gratefully
      acknowl-
     
     
      edge
      the
      assistance
      of
      the
      Premier’s
      Office
     
     
      in
      actually
      getting
      things
      together.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      all,
      planning
      took
      about
      two
      days.
     
     
      The
      two
      went
      ‘‘like
      madmen’’
      Burns
     
     
      observed,
      until
      about
      6:00
      pm
      on
      Friday.
     
     
      Burns,
      over
      the
      two
      days
      of
      organizing,
      had
     
    
   
   
    
     
      pictured
      what
      he
      wanted
      to
      achieve
      at
      the
     
     
      rally.
      Firstly,
      he
      wanted
      to
      attract
      people.
     
     
      The
      rally
      was
      attended
      by
      around
      three
     
     
      hundred
      people.
      Secondly,
      Burns
      wanted
      a
     
     
      diverse
      group.
      He
      said
      there
      were
      people
     
     
      of
      all
      ages
      and
      walks
      of
      life
      there.
      Thirdly,
     
     
      he
      wanted
      to
      geta
      message
      to
      the
      people.
     
     
      The
      national
      and
      local
      news
      coverage
     
     
      helped
      accomplish
      this
      goal.
      Both
     
     
      Williams
      and
      Burns
      were
      displeased
      with
     
     
      the
      low
      student
      support.
      Burns
      added
      that
     
     
      those
      who
      were
      there
      did
      a
      great
      job,
      but
     
     
      he
      had
      hoped
      for
      more
      support
      from
      the
     
     
      students.
      However,
      had
      the
      event
      been
     
     
      advertised
      as
      strictly
      a
      student
      event,
      the
     
     
      popular
      support
      may
      not
      have
      been
      as
     
     
      great.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Both
      agreed
      that
      if
      there
      was
      an
      issue
     
     
      they
      felt
      as
      strongly
      about
      they
      would
      do
      it
     
     
      again.
      Williams
      added
      that
      he
      learned
     
     
      more
      about
      some
      processes
      thorough
      the
     
     
      rally
      than
      he
      had
      learned
      in
      classes.
     
     
      Williams
      only
      regret
      is
      the
      haste
      in
      prepa-
     
     
      ration,
      and
      next
      time
      he
      would
      plan
      further
     
     
      ahead.
      Both
      agreed
      on
      this,
      citing
      the
      fact
     
     
      that
      until
      2:00
      pm
      on
      Friday,
      they
      didn’t
     
     
      know
      of
      Lennie
      Gallant’s
      appearance.
     
     
      Williams
      also
      added
      that
      they
      learned
      if
     
     
      you
      gave
      skateboarders
      free
      stuff,
      they
      will
     
     
      help
      you
      out.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thanks
      to
      the
      success
      of
      this
      rally
     
     
      and
      others
      across
      the
      nation,
      Williams
      said
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      response
      they
      received
      from
      people
     
     
      they
      contacted.
      The
      Premier’s
      Office’s
     
     
      help
      was
      enormous.
      They
      provided
      flags,
     
     
      balloons,
      pins
      and
      a
      major
      attraction
      point.
     
     
      Williams
      added
      that
      Professor
      David
      Milne
     
     
      of
      the
      Political
      Studies
      department
      is
      not
     
     
      getting
      the
      credit
      he
      deserves.
      He
      provided
     
     
      advice,
      names
      and
      even
      did
      some
      calling
     
     
      himself.
      ‘‘Once
      people
      knew
      what
      we
     
     
      were
      doing,’’
      Williams
      relayed,
      ‘‘they
     
    
   
   
    
     
      someone
      couldn’t
      help
      out,
      they
      explained
     
     
      why
      and
      gave
      a
      name
      of
      someone
      else
      who
     
    
   
   
    
     
      short
      haired,
      well
      dressed
      guy
      with
      a
      cell
     
     
      phone
      (Burns),
      and
      a
      jean
      clad,
      ‘‘messy
     
     
      haired’’
      guy
      (Williams).
      Regardless
      of
     
     
      how
      the
      two
      are
      described,
      their
      initiative
     
     
      and
      hard
      work
      shows
      that
      all
      students
      are
     
     
      not
      apathetic,
      and
      with
      some
      effort
      students
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      November
      7
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      general,
      both
      were
      satisfied
      with
     
    
   
   
    
     
      couldn’t
      be
      helpful
      enough’’.
      As
      well,
      if
     
    
   
   
    
     
      could.
      Burns
      pointed
      to
      Robert
      Arsenault,
     
     
      who
      was
      not
      sure
      if
      he
      supported
      the
      rally,
     
     
      but
      gave
      a
      very
      moving
      speech.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      CBC
      described
      the
      pair
      as
      a
     
    
   
   
    
     
      can
      have
      a
      voice
      in
      issues
      that
      affect
      them.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Montreal
      Rally
      Worth
      The
      Trip
     
    
   
   
    
     
      by
      Christopher
      Michaud
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Spending
      two
      hours
      at
      the
      airport
      in
     
     
      Halifax
      is
      not
      my
      idea
      of
      fun,
      but
      spending
     
     
      an
      afternoon
      in
      my
      hometown
      of
      Montreal
     
     
      with
      150,000
      fellow
      Canadians
      and
     
     
      Montrealers
      cheering
      and
      waving
      Canadian
     
     
      flags
      brought
      a
      tear
      of
      joy
      to
      my
      eye.
     
    

    
     
      The
      trip
      to
      Montreal
      was
      uneventful
     
     
      except
      for
      two
      incidents.
      Aside
      from
      the
     
     
      presence
      of
      Catherine
      Callbeck
      and
      George
     
     
      Proud
      on
      our
      plane
      (I
      think
      he
      was
      there),
     
     
      we
      had
      an
      entertainer
      from
      Newfoundland
     
     
      **serenade’’
      us
      on
      the
      way
      to
      Montreal.
     
     
      After
      our
      Newfoundland
      friend
      finished
      his
     
     
      repertoir,
      I
      decided
      I
      had
      to
      say
      something.
     
     
      So,
      mustering
      all
      the
      courage
      I
      could,
      I
      said
     
     
      a
      few
      things
      from
      my
      heart
      over
      the
     
     
      aircraft’s
      intercom
      system.
      I
      said
      how
      I
     
     
      considered
      myself
      lucky
      to
      be
      able
      to
      go
      on
     
     
      this
      trip,
      and
      how
      much
      this
      trip
      ment
      to
     
     
      me,
      and
      how
      much
      the
      whole
      referendum
     
     
      ment
      as
      well.
     
    

    
     
      The
      fact
      that
      I
      received
      a
      round
      of
     
     
      applause
      from
      some
      200
      strangers
      as
      me
     
    
   
   
    
     
      arth
      ©
      Ca
      4
      beh
     
    
   
   
    
     
      6
      Oe
      armidd
      €
      ©
      Oo
      %
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      te426
      6
      ¢
     
    
   
   
    
     
      «
      joy,
      tears
      of
      hope
      and.tears
      of
      fear.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ¢¢
     
    
   
   
    
     
      want
      grabbed
      me.
      I
      had
      only
      said
      a
      few
     
     
      things
      that
      I
      cared
      about,
      and
      shared
      my
     
     
      feelings
      with
      a
      few
      fellow
      Canadians.
     
     
      What
      surprised
      me
      was
      the
      number
      of
     
     
      people
      who
      followed
      me,
      and
      took
      their
     
     
      turns
      at
      the
      intercom
      system,
      and
      expressed
     
     
      their
      feelings
      and
      love
      for
      Canada.
     
    

    
     
      As
      we
      rode
      on
      the
      bus
      from
      the
     
     
      airport
      to
      downtown
      and
      la
      Place
      du
     
     
      Canada
      in
      the
      heart
      of
      Montreal,
      a
      car
     
     
      drove
      beside
      the
      bus.
      The
      passenger
      on
     
    
   
   
    
     
      -
      the
      right
      side
      looked
      up.
      Our
      eyes
      met
     
    
   
   
    
     
      through
      the
      slightly
      tinted
      windows.
      I
      put
     
     
      my
      little
      Canadian
      flag
      in
      the
      window
      so
     
     
      he
      could
      see.
      He
      saw,
      and
      raised
      his
      hand
     
     
      to
      give
      me
      a
      thumbs-up.
      But
      there
      was
      no
     
     
      smile
      on
      his
      face.
      It
      seemed
      as
      though
      my
     
     
      little
      expression
      of
      patriotism
      was
      for
      him
     
     
      nothing
      more
      than
      a
      reminder
      of
      what
      he,
     
     
      and
      the
      rest
      of
      Quebec,
      faced
      on
      October
     
     
      30,
      1995.
     
    

    
     
      At
      the
      rally,
      we
      yelled
      and
      shouted.
     
     
      We
      cheered
      and
      jeered.
      We
      waved
      our
     
     
      little
      flags
      and
      our
      big
      flags.
      We
      waved
     
     
      our
      signs
      and
      our
      arms.
      We
      cried
      tears
      of
     
    
   
   
    
     
      CW
      WORE
      SMO
      EE
      SE
     
    
   
   
    
     
      PE
      DE
      CEG
      aL
      &:
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      few
      Montrealers
      I
      spoke
      to
     
     
      expressed
      not
      deep
      concern
      but
      downright
     
     
      fear
      over
      the
      state
      of
      their
      province.
      Many
     
     
      were
      concerned
      where
      they
      would
      go;
      they
     
     
      had
      grown
      up
      in
      la
      Belle
      Province,
      and
     
     
      were
      not
      sure
      what
      would
      happen
      next
      after
     
     
      the
      vote.
      My
      friend
      Shannon,
      whom
      I
     
     
      spoke
      to
      the
      Wednesday
      before
      the
      rally,
     
     
      summed
      it
      all
      up
      best.
      ‘‘Chris,
      I’m
     
     
      scared’’.
     
    

    
     
      Canada
      will
      be
      forever
      changed
      by
     
     
      the
      events
      of
      the
      past
      year
      and
      a
      half,
      ever
     
     
      since
      the
      election
      of
      the
      Bloc
      Quebecois
      as
     
     
      the
      official
      opposition.
      The
      scars
      will
     
     
      remain
      on
      both
      sides,
      and
      they
      will
      be
     
     
      deep.
     
    

    
     
      For
      me,
      it
      was
      a
      return
      home
      during
     
     
      a
      difficult
      and
      frightening
      period
      in
      my
     
     
      province.
      I
      landed
      in
      Montreal
      with
      mixed
     
     
      feelings.
      A
      feeling
      of
      coming
      home,
     
     
      finally.
      A
      feeling
      of
      anxiousness
      towards
     
     
      the
      rally.
      A
      feeling
      of
      fear
      and
      concern,
     
     
      for
      my
      friends,
      my
      family,
      my
      province,
     
     
      my
      country.
     
    

    
     
      I
      just
      hope
      the
      next
      time
      I
      go
      home
      I