A Close Victory for Canada

Canada is still a united country, although only by a margin of 1.2 percent.

With a voter turn-out of more than 92 percent, the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec voted yesterday 50.6 percent against giving its government a mandate to negotiate sovereignty from the rest of Canada.

Approximately 500 members of the Harvard and Cambridge community gathered last night at the Kennedy School's Wiener Auditorium and Taubman Rotunda, where the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and its francophone division, the Societe Radio-Canada (SRC), broadcast live satellite results of referendum tallies.

Within the first 30 minutes the returns became so close that tallies were reported to two decimal places, never varying for more than a few minutes beyond a roughly 51-49 split.

Joel L. Negin '99 crystallized the feeling of many of those in the room, who said they were relieved that the secession had been defeated but were worried by the narrow margin.

"I was really scared that Canada was not going to exist after tonight," said Negin, a Canadian citizen who did not vote in the referendum. "Quebec has sent its message--now it's time to rebuild."

Jaylone Lee '97, a Quebec resident who voted "No" in the referendum, said rebuilding may be easier said than done.

"It was too close for comfort. French Canadians are having just as visceral a response to their loss as I am to the victory," she said.

Many of those at the event, which was co-sponsored by the Harvard Canada Seminar, the Quebec Delegation in New England and the graduate and undergraduate Canadian Clubs, were less pleased by the result.

Quebec citizen Gino Dupuis, who voted "Yes" to separation pointed to the difficult times ahead.

"I'd rather lose by discord than win by this narrow victory. In the next few weeks, the federal government will cut Quebec social payments, welfare and health coverage.... The next referendum in six to seven years will be a victory," he said.

Those gathered at the Kennedy School last night were among millions who watched the event around the world. In the auditorium, CBC coverage was played for anglophones. In the rotunda, the SRC catered to a francophone audience.

Local television news stations and a documentary team commissioned by the Quebec government to produce a film archiving this historic occasion interviewed students, faculty and citizens on their opinions before and reactions to the vote.

This is not the first time Quebeckers have been asked to choose the fate of their province. In 1980, when the separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ) last held power, Quebeckers rejected the vague notion of remaining in "sovereignty-association" with the rest of Canada by a margin of 60 percent to 40 percent.

"It's 1980 all over again, with a '90s existentially angst-ridden twist," said John A. E. Pottow '93, a second year student at the Law School.