The Great Scottish FREEEEEEEEEDOOOMMMMM!!!!1!!! vote

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Another question btw, if independence isn't bad for those financial institutions, why exactly would they bother scaremongering?

They weren't scaremongering. They made some rather bland, entirely truthful and unexciting statements, and the media (as the media is wont to do) was moved to screeching/ejaculating hysterics.

[kentonio]

They weren't scaremongering. They made some rather bland, entirely truthful and unexciting statements, and the media (as the media is wont to do) was moved to screeching/ejaculating hysterics.

That was in direct response to..

Moving assets is the typical scaremongering in independence cases.

[Bereta_Eder]

I wonder if scotland does split a noticeable part of UK territory will go with her.
So you'll have a country with around 55 million people but in a much smaller space.
Like a much larger netherlands. many people crunked up in a smaller room.

apart that totally insignificant contribution, I don't see a way, not in a million years, that a yes for independence in scotland won't create immidiate repercussions for catalonia.

the best countries like spain can do is push for a re-evaluation of EU criteria to be applied to scotland and not be immideately readmitted to the EU.
But there is no way on earth, I think, that spain or any other is going to eventually block scotland's assession to the EU. It would be like a coup d'etat. Totally unacceptable.

But even if scotland stays a part of the UK, it will be a deeply divided country.
Every ill will be attributed to that decision. Same with parting ways with the UK.

[Dauphin]

Fair enough. That's certainly not the word going around internally at those institutions, but who knows it could just be precautionary planning. They are certainly asking around about large properties in London however, and are already transfering assets. That comes directly from staff high up in the companies (although obviously there's nothing I can link you to prove that).

Are you saying you are chummy with the boards of these banks?

If not, you are being influenced by a whole load of speculation.

[Bereta_Eder]

BTW this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDRdabkBM28 sounds abyssmal. Shephards blowing bloated gutted sheep belly skin aloud. So there is an upside to independence.

[kentonio]

Are you saying you are chummy with the boards of these banks?

If not, you are being influenced by a whole load of speculation.

No, I'm basing it on what people who work for those institutions have said is happening and being discussed within the companies. I'm not emotionally invested in the independence debate (beyond being sad if the union is fragmented), and I genuinely want the Scottish to have a great future. I just think there's a lot of fantasy land bull**** being peddled by the nationalists that doesn't stand up to examination. We're a successful nation going through a tough patch. Throwing that away for a utopian vision of a Scotland that will apparently suddenly be able to overcome all the problems that have troubled the nation for decades seems unrealistic to me.

[Ben Kenobi]

It just doesn't pass the test of reality. When a new nation is formed, businesses have to set up new structures to comply with local requirements. This means more jobs, not less jobs. There are countless other benefits. Thousands of diplomatic personnel will settle in Edinburgh; many stock exchange operations that I would presume occur in London would be relocated to Scotland, for practical and legal reasons.

Christ, whatta maroon. Why would 'official bilingualism' be a thing in a Canada without Quebec.

Also, you'd lose about 3/4ths of your territory. Those who wanted to stay in Canada have just as much as right to stay as you to leave.

The primary loser here would be Scotland. England would cast off Labor and Scotland would get all the benefits of a Labor administration. And - all the jobs and shipbuilding in Scotland would be gone.

England pays for Scotland just like Canada (or Alberta!) does for Quebec. If you were paying your own way, Canada would never let you leave.

[Dinner]

[Fake Boris]

Now tell them about the loss of business, jobs, and brain power that came with the referendum in 1980.

Montreal was a financial hub of Canada. That all moved to Toronto, along with most of the jobs and many other businesses due to uncertainty. To be fair, there was also the language thing that drove anglophone families out.

That has nothing to do with the referendum.

The economic decline of Montreal had already started in the 50s with the opening of St. Lawrence seaway.

The 95 referendum was followed by the best growth stretch in 30 years.

[Hauldren Collider]

Wait, are you implying that the St. Lawrence Seaway hurts Montreal?

[The Mad Monk]

Implied? I think he stated it rather directly.

[Ben Kenobi]

The 95 referendum was followed by the best growth stretch in 30 years.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-582-x/2009003/tbl/f.1.1-eng.htm

From 1990-2008

1.893x Yukon
1.966x Quebec
2.004x Nunavut
2.013x Nova Scotia
2.027x New Brunswick
2.070x Ontario
2.103x Manitoba
2.174x PEI
2.484x NWT
2.510x British Columbia
3.300x SK
3.412x NFLD
3.981x Alberta

Growth 1990-1995

Quebec (15pct)
Ontario (16pct)

Growth 1995-2008

1.785x Ontario
1.700x Quebec

In short, the Quebec economy sucks. It's the Alabama of Canada.

Quebec used to be the wealthiest province in all of Canada. Now even Saskatchewan and Manitoba are wealthier. The only places that are poorer are PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and even they are catching up.

[regexcellent]

The St. Lawrence Seaway is what caused the Erie Canal and cities of western and upstate New York to cease to be relevant. Suddenly all the shipping stopped coming through New York and went through Montreal instead, so I have no idea how you could pretend it hurts Quebec.

[Uncle Sparky]

Another question btw, if independence isn't bad for those financial institutions, why exactly would they bother scaremongering?

Old Money dislikes Change.

[Fake Boris]

The St. Lawrence Seaway is what caused the Erie Canal and cities of western and upstate New York to cease to be relevant. Suddenly all the shipping stopped coming through New York and went through Montreal instead, so I have no idea how you could pretend it hurts Quebec.

Montreal had always been reachable by oceanic ships - it is the last natural harbor on the St. Lawrence. The seaway allowed them to go all the way to the Great Lakes. This hurt Montreal. It is not of any benefit to us.