MONTREAL - Quebecers who've spent decades fighting without success to form their own country are now finding themselves living vicariously through the Scots.
As the Scottish referendum nears, the strong push by Scotland's separation movement has been a source of inspiration for Quebec's sovereigntist cause at a time when it finds itself battered and fragmented.
The Parti Quebecois suffered an historic electoral defeat last spring and some prominent secessionists have even been openly debating whether to temporarily shelve their referendum ambitions.
Looking at Scotland, separatist warriors defeated in Canada's referendum battles of 1980 and the nail-biter in 1995 have been reflecting on what could have been.
"We should have done it before the Scots," said Daniel Turp, a senior member of the pro-independence forces during the '95 campaign.
"Obviously they're doing very well. I just hope they win."
