Even before then-premier Jacques Parizeau’s notorious comments blaming “money and ethnic votes” for the Yes side’s 1995 referendum loss, sovereignty didn’t feel like a project for all Quebecers.

The vast majority of anglophones were and are attached to Canada, and leaders of the Jewish, Italian and Greek communities joined forces to campaign for the No side in ’95.

Since then, Quebec nationalists, both those in favour of separation and those who want more autonomy within Canada, have embraced identity politics. Under François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec government, the province adopted tougher language legislation and three secularism laws that have trampled minority rights.

From the opposition benches, the Parti Québécois has often tried to outdo the CAQ on matters like immigration and values.

With PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon pledging a referendum in a first mandate if the party wins power in the October general election, the sovereignty debate has become more serious than it has been in decades. But it sure doesn’t seem like the independence movement has expanded its appeal to a population that has only grown more diverse in 30 years. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Now a non-partisan pro-sovereignty group is calling out political leaders for undermining the cause with divisive policies and exclusionary rhetoric.

Les Organisations unies pour l’indépendance du Québec (OUI Québec) held consultations with members of civil society. They tapped the business world, unions, the community sector and environmental groups, among others,........

© Montreal Gazette