1.
SV SEPARATISTS MEETING IN PROGRESS
0.06

2.
GV AUDIENCE, A SHOW OF HANDS
0.10

3.
CU SIGN "CANADIAN NATIONAL PAN TO SHOW QUEBEC LIBRE"
0.15

4.
LV MEN WITH PLACARDS AND FLAGS (3 SHOTS)
0.13

5.
SV ONLOOKERS
0.31

6.
CU POSTER "VIVE LA FRANCE VIVE LE QUEBEC"
0.35

7.
CU POSTER "POUR LA GRANDEUR FRANCAISE EN AMERIQUE"
0.38

8.
LV MEN WITH BANNERS (2 SHOTS)
0.49

9.
CU POSTER "ASSEZ DE SURVIVANCE VIVE L'INDEPENDANCE"
0.51

10.
CU ANOTHER POSTER "MIEUX QUE L'AUTONOMIC L'INDEPENDANCE"
0.54

11.
LV TRAFFIC PASS ALONG ROAD
0.56

12.
CU VARIOUS SLOGANS ON WALL (7 SHOTS)
1.20



Initials TDH/C/WH/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: SUPPORTERS OF A MOVEMENT TO ESTABLISH A FRENCH-SPEAKING REPUBLIC IN NORTH AMERICA WERE DEMONSTRATING IN QUEBEC, CANADA, RECENTLY. THE SEPARATISTS, WHETHER THEY ARE RIGHT-WING, LEFT-WING, OR NEUTRAL, AGREE THAT SUCH A REPUBLIC OUTSIDE OF CONFEDERATION CAN BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT BLOODSHED.

ALTHOUGH MOST FRENCH-CANADIANS CAN UNDERSTAND AND SYMPATHIZE WITH MANY OF THE SEPARATIST COMPLAINTS, SO FAR ONLY ABOUT 7,000 OF QUEBEC'S POPULATION OF 5,500,000 ARE ACTIVE SUPPORTERS OF THE MOVEMENT. NEVERTHELESS, SEPARATIST SIGNS ARE APPEARING IN MANY PLACES THROUGHOUT QUEBEC PROVINCE.

THE SEPARATISTS' BIGGEST PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE INDECISION OF MOST FRENCH-CANADIANS. THIS INDECISION IS BEST ILLUSTRATED BY SIGNS PAINTED ONE OVER THE OTHER ON A RETAINING WILL: FIRST SOMEONE PAINTED "LONG LIVE INDEPENDENCE FOR QUEBEC"; THEN SOMEONE ADDED "LONG LIVE CANADA". THIS WAS CHANGED TO "LONG LIVE BI-LINGUAL CANADA". FINALLY SOMEONE PAINTED THE WORDS: "AVANT DE CHAILER-REFLECH'SSEZ" - FREELY TRANSLATED MEANS "LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP".