Memo to Gilles Duceppe and Pauline Marois : Grumbling that Quebec is part of Canada makes you look ridiculous. Win a referendum, or at least form a government, before you complain about France giving a proper diplomatic reception to the governor-general of Canada.

It’s quite a spectacle, Marois and Duceppe popping and fizzing over Michaëlle Jean’s conquest of official Paris this week. It seems to be more than they can bear. No wonder : That a francophone immigrant woman can hold the vice-regal office is an eloquent testimonial to the openness, inclusiveness and flexibility of Canadian federal democracy. Marois and Duceppe might have preferred a slap in the face with a dead fish to the enthusiasm for Her Excellency, and for Canada, reflected in the news from Paris.

Look closely at that news. The G-G is greeted with high honours, takes the media by storm, has a long chat with President Nicolas Sarkozy, reminds him of one million francophones in Canada outside Quebec "fighting to save their language and their culture" and invites him to remember them in his dealings with Canada.

This affair cuts to the core of sovereignist mythology : France is our overseas friend, our ace in the hole. When the Glorious Day dawns, France will quickly rally to our cause, and the rest of the world will follow. This has been an article of sovereignist faith ever since Charles de Gaulle’s pompous pronunciamento at Montreal City Hall.

To see this cherished belief punctured by Sarkozy’s new orientation in relations with Canada, and that change marked by a Quebecer in federal office, must be bitter. Nor does it help that Her Excellency has displayed her usual grace and charm. (Canada is lucky to have her in the job. Paul Martin, who had her appointed, deserves credit for an inspired choice.)

Duceppe and Marois claim that celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec is an event purely for Quebec and France, in which Canada should have no role, except of course to pay many of the bills.

Nonsense. As Stephen Harper noted, "the founding of Quebec City is also the founding of the Canadian state. The governor-general is today’s successor of Samuel de Champlain, the first governor of Canada."

That Quebec is part of Canada, and an important part, is anathema to sovereignists. But we can’t help it if reality is federalist.