There is treachery in the North. In its provincial elections on September 12, the Canadian province of Quebec overwhelmingly elected a separatist government which threatens to turn the province into a new North American republic, leader of the winning (PO) and Quebec's next premier, plans to engineer Quebec's separating from Canada whether the people like it or not.

A new state with Parizeau as its and first president threatens not only to .

The seven-week champion PQ against the ruling Liberal Party in a familiar situation the PQ campaigned strongly as the voice of change in government, condemning the liberals inability to manage the economy and blaming the Liberals endlessly for Quebec's slow recovery from the recession. They won on the slogan "une nouvelle facon de gouverner" (a new way of governing), but what Quebeceta were not told about was the insidious double entendre of this slogan: although Parizeau campaigned on a promise to change the way the provincial government manages its economy, his real agenda to the public separation.

According to Parizeau victory for the PQ in the provincial elections signifies a statement of the will of Quebecers to end their with Canada. This was not what Quebecers thought they were voted for.

Although 45 percent of Quebecers voted for the PQ (enough to give it a majority government, only 30 percent want a soverign Quebec, and 55 percent do not think that the PQ should take any sovereignty in government.

The people of Quebec ballots for a new provincial government, not for a dismembered in eight to 10 months, which Quebecers will be following question: Do you wish the government of Quebec to begin the process of separation from But this referendum will come only after lengths from the PQ and only after the PQ has already begins the process of separation.

Quebec was last asked the separation question in 1980, it answered with a No. This time, however, separatists are in a much better positions to pull Quebec away. They now form both the majority government at the provincial level and serve as the Official Opposition (second most powerful party) in the federal government Thus, they have tremendous power to set the public's agenda and to manufacture an environment in which the people of Quebec will decide their fate.

Jacques Parizeau plans to take victory-won on false pretenses to create a mandate for himself which he simply does not have. Some of the milestones on his yellow brick road to a make your own country include passing a declaration of intent in the Quebec legislature to separate from drafting constitution, and challenging the government by enlarging Quebec's powers.

Parizeau will also provoke a verbal confrontation with English Canada because Quebecers support of sovereignty has tradition been greatest when they are united against English Canada. All of this will be his claiming responsibility for the economic recovery already underway. And all of this manipulation will be done with tax-payers' money and without their .

The nature of Quebec's situation does not lend itself to easy analysis. Unlike most groups who attempt to leave their political unions. Quebecers are not in Canada. Their culture is not threatened, enjoying some, of the most protectionist and support in the world.

Financially transfer payments to Quebec by the Canadian government make it better off than it would be outside of Canada. There is no good reason to separate, and Quebecers know that. When polled, they consistently express a desire to remain a part of Canada.

What makes the province dilemma unique is Quebec has fallen victim a shrewd political entrepreneur who sees only the glory ahead for himself the founder and first president of a nation a modern George Washington, a Gandhi, a Mandela.

Parizeau makes ridiculous almost real claims. He promised that if Quebec were to separate, it would not pay its entire share of the Canadian debt. But at the same time, it would insist that the Canadian government live up to its commitment to subsidize Quebec and potential hosting of the Olympics in the year 2000.

His economic rationale for separation is equally obtuse: the only tangible economic benefit of separation he claims is eliminating provincial-federal government duplication, and the construction of a cluster of embassies in Quebec City. This files in the face of economic forecasts of an economically isolated Quebec with no leg to stand on.

The PQ is arrogant and in its assumption that the disintegration of Canada is as simple as a provincial election in which it garners only 45 percent of the popular vote (for comparison, the Liberals had 44 percent.) There is no precedent and so mechanism for a transition which the PQ strains hard to present as routine.

What are the requisites for the formation of a new nation state from an existing one what conditions of physicals economic, or moral hardship must its people face in order to be granted the right to in the international arena. What percentage of its people must be in support. How can the other citizens in the country express their opinion.

These questions seem almost immaterial to Parizeau and to the PQ. Their hope is that Quebecers won't catch on to their plan, will be by their propaganda, and will be catapulted into economic, end political disarray so that Parizeau can get his face painted on a 20-franc bill.