Twenty years ago. I remember it like yesterday – our best chance at national reconciliation.

I was in the Manitoba Legislature when Elijah Harper raised his eagle feather, signalling no.

Then, when Newfoundland refused to vote.

Meech was dead.

So what were the consequences? Let's see.

-The creation and rise of the Bloc Quebecois, guaranteeing years of minority parliaments. -Quebec not fully participating in the governance of Canada.

-Then there was the 1995 referendum, when we came so close to losing it all.

-And of course, having to listen to years of imagined grievances from the Bloc and the PQ.

Meech wouldn't have settled everything, but we were so close.

Former Ontario premier David Peterson is right; no one will ever have the guts to do it again.

Now we have Gilles Duceppe running around on the taxpayer dime and writing letters to 1,600 foreign opinion leaders, informing them of the inevitability of Quebec secession. Those letters, by the way, are written on House of Commons stationary. He plans a U.S. and European tour this fall.

Hey Gilles, it's not foreigners you have to convince – they don't vote.

And then there's Mme. Marois raising the language boogie man again, now wanting language rules to apply to English CEGEPs? She just doesn't get it. Francophones go to English CEGEPs precisely because they want to learn English. And she, of course, is talking about the next referendum again, but so far no date with destiny.

It's this time of year, seemingly, when our divisions are highlighted.

In Quebec, on June 24, everything closes down. It's a true holiday, and yes, a time for celebration. But a week later, Canada Day is a movable feast. Shop to your heart's content on our national birthday. You want to work on July 1 so you can have the long weekend? Not a problem.

I was in Alberta last week, a privnce that's as Canadian as they come. While there, I spotted a big RONA store, and thought, "Wow, a Quebec company doing really well."

And then I saw the sign: Proudly Canadian owned.

Would you find that on RONA stores in Quebec? Nope, there's no mention of the Canada. No trumpeting the fact that the company is Canadian owned.

Or how about this? Labatt Blue: In the rest of Canada, there's a maple leaf on the bottle. Nice touch.

For Bleu sold in Quebec, there's no maple leaf. Not sure what that little red widget is supposed to be. But the deep thinkers at Labatt in Quebec must be proud so of their country.

How about one of the best-selling beers in the country? Molson Canadian. No wonder it's so hard to find here.

Meech wouldn't have solved everything. Some say they believe it might have made things worse. I disagree. 20 years ago, we had our moment.

We lost it because of narrow mindedness, and an unwillingness to see the possibilities.

And ever since, we indeed have paid a price. Oh, Canada.