2006-12-11|A true father of "Nation of Quebec within a united Canada"

To all Canadians

In 1992, Simon Sunatori, P.Eng./ing., M.Eng., made a proposal to the Parliament of Canada's Special Joint Committee On a Renewed Canada. Here is an excerpt from his submission.

Option HyperCanada: Towards Maximum Satisfaction (1992-01-10)

In the past, ambiguity was the name of the game for Canadian compromise. This proposal calls for a clarification of the terms to recognise nations within Canada to achieve maximum flexibility to accommodate diversity in values held by its citizens.
Today, Canada is supposed to be a nation with 10 provinces. However, at least one provincial legislature is called the national assembly, creating confusions as to whether there are nations within a nation competing with one another. If this proposal is adopted, "Canada" will cease to exist as a nation, but will be defined as an entity (country) which consists of nations, provinces and territories as its integral elements.
If the answer to the question "What does Québec want?" is "Respect for Dignity" and not more powers or to be considered as superior, then the respect will be given by the clear recognition of Québec in the Constitution of Canada as a nation and not as just another province. This will legally recognise Québec as being different, but confer no distinction from the other provinces in terms of powers. It will also make it possible to avoid the use of controversial "distinct society".
The concept is not new. In the United States of America, "commonwealth", not "state", is an official description of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, giving some people very special pride. There is nothing preventing Canada from defining the term "nation" to suit its situation. With their own nation, Québec nationalists will lose their raison d'être. Only the United Nations will have to accommodate Canada not as a nation but as a unique country. Canada will still be the best "country" in the world.
Thus, the first line of the Constitution of Canada shall read the following.

Canada is an officially bilingual (English, French) federal democracy consisting of nations, provinces and territories with a "Charter of Rights and Freedoms" and a principle of "Peace, Order and Good Government".
The words "nation" and "national" will be strictly reserved for Québec and aboriginal nations. Therefore, present federal institutions will be renamed with some imagination, creativity, ingenuity and originality.

Federal institutions:

Department of National Defence -> Canadian Peace-Keeping Forces
National Archives -> Archives of Canada
National Arts Centre -> Canadian Arts Centre
National Capital Commission -> Canadian Capital =20 Commission
National Gallery of Canada -> Canadian Museum of Arts
National Research Council -> Canadian Research Council
National Library of Canada -> Library of Canada
...

National/Provincial institutions:

National Capital Commission -> (no change required)
National Library of Québec -> (no change required)
Ontario Legislative Assembly -> (no change required)
Québec National Assembly -> (no change required)
Saint Jean-Baptiste Day -> La F=EAte Nationale
...

Provincial abbreviation:

PQ (Province of Québec) -> NQ (Nation of Québec)

Simon Sunatori is a professional engineer and inventor, proudly residing in Gatineau, QC, Canada.
Thank you very much for your attention.

Option HyperCanada: Towards Maximum Satisfaction (1992-01-10)
In the past, ambiguity was the name of the game for Canadian compromise. This proposal calls for a clarification of the terms to recognise nations within Canada to achieve maximum flexibility to accommodate diversity in values held by its citizens. Today, Canada is supposed to be a nation with 10 provinces. However, at least one provincial legislature is called the national assembly, creating confusions as to whether there are nations within a nation competing with one another. If this proposal is adopted, "Canada" will cease to exist as a nation, but will be defined as an entity (country) which consists of nations, provinces and territories as its integral elements. If the answer to the question "What does Québec want?" is "Respect for Dignity" and not more powers or to be considered as superior, then the respect will be given by the clear recognition of Québec in the Constitution of Canada as a nation and not as just another province. This will legally recognise Québec as being different, but confer no distinction from the other provinces in terms of powers. It will also make it possible to avoid the use of controversial "distinct society". The concept is not new. In the United States of America, "commonwealth", not "state", is an official description of Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, giving some people very special pride. There is nothing preventing Canada from defining the term "nation" to suit its situation. With their own nation, Québec nationalists will lose their raison d'être. Only the United Nations will have to accommodate Canada not as a nation but as a unique country. Canada will still be the best "country" in the world. Thus, the first line of the Constitution of Canada shall read the following. Canada is an officially bilingual (English, French) federal democracy consisting of nations, provinces and territories with a "Charter of Rights and Freedoms" and a principle of "Peace, Order and Good Government". The words "nation" and "national" will be strictly reserved for Québec and aboriginal nations. Therefore, present federal institutions will be renamed with some imagination, creativity, ingenuity and originality.
Federal institutions:
Department of National Defence -> Canadian Peace-Keeping Forces National Archives -> Archives of Canada National Arts Centre -> Canadian Arts Centre National Capital Commission -> Canadian Capital =20 Commission National Gallery of Canada -> Canadian Museum of Arts National Research Council -> Canadian Research Council National Library of Canada -> Library of Canada ...
National/Provincial institutions:
National Capital Commission -> (no change required) National Library of Québec -> (no change required) Ontario Legislative Assembly -> (no change required) Québec National Assembly -> (no change required) Saint Jean-Baptiste Day -> La F=EAte Nationale ...
Provincial abbreviation:
PQ (Province of Québec) -> NQ (Nation of Québec)

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"Sunatori, Go Simon" <GS.Sunatori@HyperInfo.CA>

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Produced in Canada./Produit au Canada.

ISBN 978-0-929105-04-8

2024-12-17T20:37:07.000Z