Jean Charest

“If you want a referendum, vote for the others. Or, in certain cases, you can stay at home, you don't vote and you could find yourself with a referendum by default because you didn't exercise your vote.”

“They've been fairly positive, as firm as they could be in regards to the derivatives operations in Montreal. We didn't sense that there was a hesitation about it. But things change.”

“Recognizing Quebec as being different, recognizing our history, recognizing our identity, has never meant a weakening of Quebec and has never been a threat to national unity.”

“Our real interest starts with our neighbors... the future is about regional economies.”

“We would much prefer to see ownership in the hands of the Maple Group, if only because we would much rather see Canadian ownership of our stock exchange. What we are first of all interested in is making sure that Montreal is able to preserve that niche or expertise.”

“From that moment on, there will be an irreversible process to separate Quebec from Canada.”

“What belongs to someone, belongs to someone.”

“You can't go east and west at the same time.”

“Canada's north is going to change a lot in the new few years. We have every resource imaginable up north.”