We learned two important things in the past few days. Firstly, there are some politicians with principle, such as Michael Chong who put his convictions ahead of his cabinet post when confronted with the prickly Quebec nation issue. Secondly, the parliament's declaration of a Quebecois nation is an excellent illustration of what many historians, political scientists and sociologists refer to as a constructed ethnic or national identity.
Only a few decades ago it was taken for granted that ethnic and national identities were primordial and unchangeable, but today many scholars have realized that both ethnic and national categories can be created by political and cultural elites. This is precisely what we are seeing today when Canada's parliament decides to confer national status on Quebecers. The only problem is what to do when--according to the latest poll--at least 34% of the population in question politely declines to be part of that nation. If you ask a historian, that's when choice and human agency come into play.
Christopher Adam
Ottawa