Commission serves only to widen the gaps between us

It sounded like a great idea at the time, but now, after several weeks of the traveling xenophobia roadshow, it seems that maybe, like communism, it was an idea that works in theory, only to fail massively when it comes to execution.

Stunned onlookers have listened to pure-laine Quebecers spew all sorts of hateful venom at minorities of all kinds, and asking 'why, oh, why don't Quebec's new arrivals want to be just like us?'

Classic Quebecois insecurity, just like the insecurity that made the Quebec government bring in Bill 101 in 1978 and Bill 178 in 1988. Today, it's not enough that immigrants must work, learn and live in French, but Quebecers want them to assimilate completely and enjoy poutine, pea soup, pouding chomeur and pork and beans.

In fact, a Muslim group did just that last winter, and was castigated for requesting the pork be removed from their feves au lard for religious purposes. What's worse, the media cried, was that the owner of the cabane ˆ sucre in question had actually complied with the group's request.

The fear in the regions (which hold the real balance of power in the province's governance) of religious minorities invading their little towns is tremendous, but unrealistic. The real downfall is that the Bouchard-Taylor Commission has succeeded in creating a divide, but not the one you might expect. It's a divide that's opened up between Montreal and the rest of the province, even though the city is the province's economic engine.

Most people who work and live in Montreal recognize the social and financial implications of sovereignty and recognize the multicultural nature of Montreal to be a benefit, and not a drawback to living here.

The philosophical and linguistic (bilingual reality in Montreal, French-only pretty much everywhere else) divides are further widened by the presence of official opposition leader Mario Dumont, who has as yet failed to grab any seats on the island of Montreal. Imagine a Dumont government with no Montreal Island MPs?

It could happen. Quebec Premier Jean Charest (or maybe leader-in-waiting Phillippe Couillard) must move quickly to bridge the philosophical divide between Montreal and Quebec's regions, or we could be forever divided.