Could Kosovo lead to an independent Quebec?

The unilateral declaration of independence which was issued by Kosovo was, predictably, a messy scenario for other Balkan states and regions – but its impact has been felt much farther afield.

Canada has been shaken by this declaration taken in Pristina, fearful that the move to independence would re-ignite tensions between Quebec, the French-speaking province on the Atlantic coast, and Ottawa, the seat of Canadian government. Canada has been wrestling with this issue for years – from the confederation of the provinces into the modern day entity of Canada in 1867 to present day. Quebecois separatists – known as soverainistes – came to power in the 1970s, and held a referendum in 1995 to determine whether or not they would remain legally bound to Canada. Though the referendum was defeated (by a slim margin), the Canadian federal government feared a resurgent Parti Quebecois, and passed the Clarity Act in 1999, to further specify under what conditions Canada would allow a province to secede.

Stephen Harper, the Canadian Prime Minister, did not react immediately to the announcement of Kosovar independence. Debate swirled around the implications of recognising the newest nation-state in Europe. Some warned that recognition would immediately encourage Quebec to unilaterally secede from Canada, citing Kosovo as their inspiration and international precedent. Others said Kosovo and Quebec could not be more distinct.

Harper, along with his ministers, finally decided to recognise Kosovo. “We know that a significant number of countries…have already recognized Kosovo,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier. “So what we did today, we joined the international community and recognized Kosovo as a new state.”

Maxime Beaupre, who currently works in the Privy Council of Canada, which formally advises the Prime Minister, said: “Essentially, Canada recognized that other states have recognized Kosovo. It doesn’t actually recognize Kosovo as a state.”

PM Harper was very quick to point out, however, that Kosovo is not Quebec. “The situation in Kosovo is very unique. It is a totally different situation than the democratic debate in Canada and in Quebec.”