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The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday, February 6, 1992-Page 3
Canada
PQ's Landry gets cool reception
All Sale Merchandise Now
By
DAVID LAZARUS
MONTREAL -
Parti-Quebecois vice-president Bernard Landry got a pwlite hearing but no hurrahs from the 150 Jewish community members he urged to get on board the independence bandwagon at a recent luncheon atAUied Jewish Community Services.
Landry heard many of the anxieties and resentments running deep in the Jewish community over the place of anglophones in the province and over Bill 178. the Quebec law banning outdoor commercial signs in any language besides French.
But some good-natured laughter from the attendees also marked the lunch with Landry, which Rabbi Re- . uben Poupko described as part of an initiative by AJCS and Canadian Jewish Congress, Quebec region, to keep the Jewish community active in the political process.
Rabbi Poupko was first approached by Landry to arrange the meeting.
Landry bluntly predicted a scenario in keeping with his party's line.
He said to a mixed group of leaders, lay people and young adults, that Quebec would leave Canada — in fact,' 'be a member of the United Nations" — within three years.
"I am absolutely certain a provincial solution is a dead case," he said.
But Landry, speaking almost entirely in English, also appealed specifically to the Jewish community to preserve its role in Quebec society and suggested its members, by living here and considering Quebec their home. Were as true Quebecers as anyone.
To a burst of laughter, Landry said the term "pure laine," used to describe Quebecers of purely francophone extraction,' 'should be kept in the shmatta business."
Landry spent a half hour presenting the case for secession on economic and political grounds, among them that Quebec "is a nation, "the failure of a"bi-national" Canada over its 125-year history, and .numerous polls indicating that most Quebecers support sovereignty. '
But during a half-hour question
Bernard Landry
period, Landry met with stony silence, some hushed murmurings and polite disagreement when he tried to allay fears about separation, to mollify continued anger over Bill 178, and to convince this group of (mostly) Quebec anglophones that it was the "best protected minority on earth."
Robert Presser took exception to that notion, describing Landry's argument as ''relativist" and maintaining that Bill 178 abrogated a basic right. '
But Landry said Bill 178 amounted to nothing more than an irritant,
' 'Francophones elsewhere dream to have half of what you have here," he said. "One and only one right was deprived — to post commercial signs [in English]."
He said that anglophone Quebecers have no reason to feel insecure when surrounded by a continent of people speaking their language.
Perhaps years from now, he allowed, after French-Canada's future is secure, "linguistic legislation won't be as necessary." •
One questioner — Bryiia Garmaise — won applausie aftfer conveying the torment many feel about the prospect of Quebec leaving Canada; '
■But while voicing sympathy for such feelings, Landry said "flexibility and patience" have failed in trying to get a fair deal for Quebec and
he maintained that citizens would still be able to use Canadian passports and currency.
Landry said Quebec will be independent within 36 months because polls show support for sovereignty "growingsteadily" sincethefailure of the Meech Lake Accord — including among"most Quebec Liberals" — as well as strong indications that after the next federal election, the "overwhelming majority'' of Quebecers in the House of Commons will be from the separatist Bloc Que-becois.
Landry envisaged such a state being a full and equal partner in GATT and part of the existing ftw-trade deal between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After years of squabbling, both Quebec aind Canada^ finally^ could thrive under such an ari^gement a!hd would [it] "not be a 'minus' or 'zero-sum' game — it would be a 'plus-plus'game," Landry said.
Stephen Hecht of AJCS raised the issue of how the "political uncertainty" under a sovereign Quebec would win the confidence of in-vestors.
But Landry countered that Que-, bee's going its own way finally would end the uncertainty, not increase it. "The next day [after separation], Quebec wiirrank'20th out of 200 nations in terms of GNP (Gross National Product)," he said.
Landry ridiculed Premier Robert Bourassa for not coming forward with concrete proposals for...the.,, province.
"His politics is not to say anything clearly. You can't guess what he has in mind when he probably has nothing in mind," Landry said,
In Landry's view, Bourassa will call an election instead of holding the planned October referendum.
Landry said the PQ will win such an election and will hold its own referendum, with "51 percent" enough to take Quebec out of Canada.
The PQ government's own referendum question will be concise and clear: .        . .. ; .
"Something like: 'Do you want an independent state?' " he said.
By
RON CSILLAG
TORONTO -
Charies Diamond revels in having jumped from the frying pan into the fire.   • : ■ ■
A year ago. Diamond was Toronto's top Jewish communal lay leader, presiding over what was then known as Toronto Jewish Congress (now die Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto), the city's central social service delivery, planning and ftind-ing organization.
Now, he's a paid professional, with lay leadership to answer to, as national executive director of Canada-Israel Securities Ltd. (State of. Israel Bonds).
A self-made, businessman. Diamond has a simple answer for anyone wondering why a balabus would become a worker bee. . "I like the Jewish community," responds the soft-spoken. 51-year-old former executive with the Thrifty's and Beaver Canoe apparel chains.
"It's one way for me to remain ac-• tive, and I want to use my combination of business and lay experience to help build an awareness of Bonds."
Diamond replaces his predecessor, Julius Briskin,w_ho retired last year after nine years in the top job. Briskin is also among the origirS founders of Bonds' Canadian board of directors.
And now. State of Israel Bonds is headquartered nationally in Toronto. Its move a few months ago from Montreal, where the Canadian Bonds organization was founded in 1953,
Charles Diamond
was another source of concern for many in the city's embattled and shrinking Jewish community.
Reasons for the move were not complex. Diamond says. Bank.head offices are here arid Toronto is, after all, now Canada's financial nerve centre. While selling Bonds may involve an emotional pitch, they are. in the final analysis, financial instruments, and the organization needs to be where the action is.
Diamond sees no big shake-ups in either the Toronto or Montreal office. Montreal will retain soine national responsibilities, mainly in administration. ErolAraf recently took over from Lionel Segal as Montreal city director. Diamond envisions the Toronto office as lean but mean.
Diamond said he will also have to keep chipping away at the mistaken notion that Bonds are charity.
"Israel has never defaulted on a bond." he noted proudly. "Bonds are more than pushing down a tab on a card during the High Holidays. They're not just four percent [return] any more. They have political sig-nificance and they make George Bush aware that Jews are in it for the long haul."
Last year, Toronto Jews bought S16 million in Bonds, while worldwide sales reached a record $993 million. However, Canadian sales dipped to $75 million from $86 million the year before.
For this year. Diamond is shooting for $100 million in bond and note sales in Canada.
He's hoping that pension and endowment funds continue their generous Bond purchases. In the United States, fully 30 percent of Bond piir-chases are made by non-Jews, Diamond pointed out.
Diamond said he'll also try to forge new links with the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto and its Montreal counterpart. Allied Jewish Community Services, to discuss ways in which, their fundraising campaigns can avoid overlap.
He'll also do more outreach to Jews in other Canadian cities and small communities, which have tradition-=ally tallied surprisingly large Bond ■ ' sales. ■ - ■
Investors may choose from several types of Israel bonds and notes; "but Diamond is particularly excited about the Canadian dollar Variable Rate Interest issue, introduced last August. The Canadian VRI offers a 7'/^ percent base return, which varies with prime interest rates.
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