Furthermore, the latest poll of Quebecers, which reflected data gathered up to March 24, showed that only 16 per cent of Quebecers favored "pure" independence from Canada. Sixty-six per cent of the pollees were opposed to "pure" independence while 17 per cent were undecided.

Levesque does not have a mandate for separation, but Canadians must take the separatism prospect seriously. In the interview O'Leary emphasized that the number of Quebecers desiring "pure" independence has doubled since 1968.

According to Peter Newman, the editor of Maclean's magazine, a recent demographic study of Quebec voters showed that, by the time of the next election, 42 per cent of Quebec's voters would be between the ages of 18 and 35, if "that age group is almost entirely separatist," as Newman says, Canadian federalists are in trouble.

How can Canadians deal with these difficulties? As in most racial conflicts, I suggest that the answer lies at the level of individual relationships. If Canadians from the Western provinces spent some time in Quebec, they would be more sympathetic to the French-Canadian's desire to preserve his culture. Likewise, the Quebecer should certainly see other parts of his country before he decides to separate from it.

The federal government should encourage more strongly a program of cultural exchanges. As Harry Bruce, a contributing editor of The Canadian magazine, suggested, English-speaking Canadians could mount a federalist campaign by sending "love letters" to their countrymen in Quebec. As corny as this sounds, the point is clear: it is the individual who can save Canada, not bilingualism in the school system or rhetoric from the government.

Examples of the beneficial effects of individual contact between English- and French-speaking Canadians are omnipresent. Two weeks ago in Montreal I encountered a high school band from Vancouver visiting Quebec on a concert tour. Several Vancouver students stayed in the homes of French-Canadian hosts, with guests and hosts establishing strong friendships. The musical performances of the tour became incidental as the students formed deep personal attachments to one another. Many tears were shed when the time came for good-byes. It is my opinion that you would not find a single separatist among either of those groups...

[John Weston '80, a government concentrator residing in Straus Hall, is a Canadian citizen from Vancouver, British Columbia.]