Alliance Quebec

Graeme Decarie:

I was suspicious of Alliance Quebec at the founding. I saw it as the move of a traditional anglo elite trying to preserve its power and influence among anglos. These were simply not my people. I grew up working class with a distaste for the sort of people who dominated at the founding of AQ, and did not believe they really gave a damn about our interests. That's why at the time, I did several broadcasts for CBC in which I was highly critical of it.

I came to accept the necessity of it, though never happy with it, as I realized these were the only people with the connections and experience to set up an organization. I also came to realize that the majority of anglos simply were not going to support a more radical programme. And, while I could understand and sympathize with their rage, I could never support the Bill Johnsons because I realized they were hopelessly naive and, while they certainly understood the problem in pretty much the same way I understood it, did not understand the anglo community at all.

One side featured too many compromisers, the other too many screamers and thrashers.

The only group to gain was the rising leadership of the Jewish community. Into the 1970s, the anglo elite would barely give them a nod as sometimes useful lackeys. But the rapid decline of anglo elite power forced them to admit some Jews into the charmed circle.
graeme