This is Canada. That's the impression I got when I read a report from Canada written by Jędrzej Bielecki in “Plus Minus”.
After visiting Canada the president France de Gaulle – and it was more than half a century ago – the world lived in the belief that his speech ending with the words: “Long live free Quebec!” was an announcement of the imminent disintegration of Canada, until then a country composed of several provinces enjoying a large degree of autonomy.
I was in Quebec a few years later with a group of American journalists, people like me, who were then around forty. I think all of us in that group had the impression that we had been brought here to see with our own eyes the death of an unrealistic dream of diversity and multiculturalism. A dream of a harmonious life under one roof of people speaking different languages, praying to God in different ways. In a word – realizing an ideal that many dreamed of, but only a few managed to put into practice. And Canada at that time was an example of this happy, but rare event.
Since then, the world has changed beyond recognition. There is no Soviet Union. In Poland, we have a completely new system. Our country, once a member of the Warsaw Pact, now belongs to NATOi.e., the same military alliance as Canada.
Only that time has stopped in Canada, while here it is rushing like crazy. Canadians, just like before, do not want to be America. Although the founder of the party that decided to fight for Quebec independence died a long time ago, and although towards the end of his life, when he lost the referendum on sovereignty, he changed his mind and decided that it was better to stick with Canada, his successor decided to try his luck. And despite everything, he gave the people of Quebec a third referendum with the same question: do they want independence? Bielecki described it carefully, and I got the impression that I had already been there fifty years ago. The same phraseology, the same slogans, and the same feeling that some hostile forces were preventing us from reaching the land of eternal happiness.
However, while I had the impression then that Canada's days as a unified country were numbered and that the next time I went to Quebec City, it would not be the capital of a province but would become the capital of an independent state, today I am no longer so sure. And this despite the successes of separatists in various parts of the world. And I will explain why I think so in a moment.
First, history teaches us that there are permanent departures from prevailing trends. What is permanent in one part of the world looks like a passing oddity in another. When doubts arise, it is always worth remembering Switzerland. Secondly: it is probably pleasant when, without changing the country, you can change the language and not only the language but also a large part of the culture. I think that many, especially young Quebecers, share this preference. And thirdly, and not least important: Canada is a powerful and rich country. I have not heard of people choosing a small and poor country as their place of residence en masse.
From reading Jędrzej Bielecki's text I draw a warning to our lovers of a unified power who would gladly lock themselves in a hole and divide Poland into PIS and the Platform, the city and the countryside, the supporters of law and order and those for whom a bit of disorder is like a hot spice in soup. I would like them to stop talking about moral and political unity as a cure for all Polish ailments.
I see another cure – described in detail in the book I am advertising “Umówmy się na Polskę”. It contains a recipe for transforming self-government into a system that reflects not only the political preferences of voters, but also their religiosity and the type of cultural and social needs. In a word, federalism “yes”, centralism “no”.
Personally, I prefer federalization to creating new states. It requires civic activity, not just simple obedience. And that is the ideal of those in power.
Opinions expressed in columns for tvn24.pl do not constitute the position of the editorial office.
Maciej Wierzyński – TV journalist, publicist. After the introduction of martial law, he was dismissed from TVP. In 1984, he emigrated to USA. He was a scholarship holder at Stanford University and Penn State University. He founded the first multi-hour Polish language channel Polvision on the cable television “Group W” in the USA. In 1992-2000 he was the head of the Polish Section of the Voice of America in Washington. Since 2000 he has been the editor-in-chief of the New York “Nowy Dziennik”. Since 2005 he has been associated with TVN24.
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