adian history...provincial government power has been used to press both ethnic nationalist and regionalist demands on Ottawa"
             Before discussing regionalism or the conflict between central Canada and the peripheral regions, it is important to first address the issue of Quebec nationalism and the problem it brings to Canadian federalism, because in the short term, nationalism presents a more pressing issue than regionalism. Robert and Doreen Jackson write:
             In the short term, because regionalism does not directly challenge territorial sovereignty, it appears to present less of a threat to the existing state structure than does nationalism. In the long term, however, persistent indifference to regionalist demands by central authorities may result in a serious loss of legitimacy for the state in certain parts of the country.
             Defining what is nationalism and how it applies to the people of Quebec, and the issue of Quebec nationalism flaring up from time to time , will be important in shedding light on the conflict between Quebec nationalism and Canadian federalism.
             According to Robert and Doreen Jackson, nationalism is defined "as the collective action of a politically conscious ethnic group (or nation) in pursuit of increased territorial autonomy or sovereignty." The ethnic majority of French-speaking people in Quebec or the Quebecois are indeed an ethnic group. They speak the same language, enjoy a common culture and rich heritage and most are Roman Catholic. The province of Quebec also ascribes to a different private legal system than the rest of the country, based on French Civil Law. The Quebecois have also seen their historical majority in the early beginnings of the Canadian federation dwindle to an ethnic minority and continued immigration patterns and low birth rates now leave the percentage of francophones in Canada at nearly 25% of the total population. However, in the province of Quebec, the franc...