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République du Saguenay (en: Republic of Saguenay)
Timeline: 1983: Doomsday
Flag Coat of Arms
Flag Coat of Arms
Location of Saguenay
Location of Saguenay
Capital
(and largest city)
Chicoutimi
Other cities Jonquiere, LaBaie
Language
  official
 
French
  others Algonquian, other Native American languages, English
Prime Minister Stéphane Bédard
Area 104,018 claimed territory in km²
Population 272,610 
Independence 1984 declared; 2010 recognized
Currency Saguenay Piastre

The Republic of Saguenay is a nation located in the former Canadian province of Quebec.

History[]

Pre-Doomsday[]

Both the scenery and the cultural sites and activities of Saguenay attracted tourists every year before Doomsday. Lac Saint-Jean itself is a popular destination for residents of the more urban regions of Quebec to escape to in the summer. The region was also considered the heartland of the Quebec sovereignty movement.

Post-Doomsday[]

Following the Doomsday event and an influx of refugees from the bombed areas, The surviving MPs from the Saguenay/Lac-St-Jean met together to plan a strategy to cope with the situation. Blaming the membership in NATO for the event, they decided to declare the region a sovereign and neutral country.

In 1988, Canada-controlled areas in Québec had reached the Saguenay border. Later on that year, the Saguenay government requested official recognition from the Canada Remainder Provinces, but they were refused. The Québec and Nouveau-Québec provincial governments began implementing a policy of restricted trade with Saguenay.

The 1997 election of Georges Farrah in Canada was the beginning of a release of tension between the two countries, despite the lack of official recognition and increased Canadian exploration of claimed territory. This short period ended in 2001 when the Canada Remainder Provinces began increasing their military presence on the Gaspé peninsula, threatening Saguenay.

In 2004, a Canadian exploration expedition ran into a Saguenay patrol near the disputed northwestern border between Saguenay and Nouveau-Québec, leaving one Canadian dead and many wounded on both sides. However, this was just a symptom of the worsening relations.

They are not currently recognized by the League of Nations and have had a few skirmishes along its border with government forces from Canada. Despite being unrecognized by the government of Gaspé (the new provincial capital for the Canadian province of Québec) they have entered in some trade agreement with some communities outside its de facto control. There is also evidence that the Saguenay Republic has been helping the organized gangs in the St. Lawrence River area. These gangs have been harassing the Canadians for over a decade.

On September 9, 2009, Prime Minister Stéphan Tremblay of Saguenay was assassinated by a radical and "lone" member of one of Canada's political parties. This lead to a declaration of war the next day, despite offers of arbitration by the Celtic Alliance. They began an amphibious assault on the Gaspe peninsula, which was fortified against land strikes but not attacks by sea. They occupied the peninsula for about four months, during which time they also fought Canada in the northern region of Quebec. A truce began on April 12, 2010 and the war officially ended nearly two months later on May 28 with the signing of the Treaty of Manchester. Though Saguenay leaders lost Gaspe, they finally gained international recognition for their country.

Geography[]

The Republic of Saguenay claims the whole of the Saguenay/Lac-St-Jean administrative region. This claim is now respected by the international community, following the result of the Saguenay War.

Politics[]

Saguenay is a unicameral, parliamentary republic headed by the Premier-Ministre (prime minister). There are currently 2 parties in the house, the center-left Parti Nationaliste (who form the government) and a center-right Parti Liberal who form the opposition. Other parties without representation in the house include the Parti Unioniste which advocate union with the Canadian Remainder Provinces as a province.

Foreign Relations[]

Saguenay is a member of the United Communities.

Saguenay was recognized by the Republic of Superior in 2005, following a massive diplomatic dispute between it and Canada over the status of lands on the western Great Lakes. Aroostook has come close to formally recognizing it as a sovereign state, but has delayed it due to the LON's ruling, and the upcoming referendum on its status with Canada. After news was released that Saguenay has been supplying the Lawrence Raiders in exchange for help against Canada, the Aroostook government announced that it would never recognize Saguenay as a legitimate state. Nevertheless, they recognized it along with the rest of the international community with the Treaty of Manchester, ending the Saguenay War between Canada and Saguenay.

The Canadian government, as per the treaty, has now grudgingly acknowledged their independence as well, in exchange for Saguenay dropping its claims on the St. Lawrence River valley as well as Canadian territory, and ceasing to support the raiders.

Military[]

Sag-army-grade

rank insignias of the armed forces

Sag-roundel

Roundel of the Saguenay armed forces

The Saguenayan Armed Forces are composed of 3 arms: The Land Army, the Air Army and the Riverine Army. In addition, the forces are divided into the Regular Army made up of volunteers and the Militia composed of all the citizens between the age of 17 and 55. The militia operate only part time on a rotating basis. Saguenay had a secret naval base outside their territory on the St. Lawrence River which was destroyed during the Saguenay War.

See also[]

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