Mr. Chretien staunchly supports keeping Quebec in Canada.

The accord, a series of toughly negotiated compromises, aims at resolving long-running disputes and keeping Quebec from leaving the Canadian federation.

He has staked his promising political career on the crusade to keep Quebec in Canada.

Only 12% of people would agreed to do everything in its power to keep Quebec within Canada, even if this requires a special status.

This was partly in response to efforts by the Montreal Canadiens, who were owned by Molson, to keep Quebec out of the "merger".

Between 2008 and 2012, the company paid C$8.9 billion in dividends to its shareholder, while keeping Quebec retail power rates among the lowest in North America.

All the same, he takes comfort from English-speaking Canada's problems in reaching a new constitutional formula to keep Quebec from making the split.

Unless these reactions across English-speaking Canada are softened, many now believe, the effort to keep Quebec within the 123-year-old Canadian confederation may founder.

The Government has also had little success in reaching a national consensus on the constitutional changes needed to keep French-speaking Quebec from voting itself out of Canada.

He contends that economic considerations will keep Quebec in the fold.