1.   In October, Quebec separatists narrowly lost in a referendum on whether to break from Canada.

2.   Quebec separatists may have lost a bid to break away from Canada, but their strong showing is pressuring Canada to loosen its hold on the provinces.

3.   The separatists narrowly lost an October referendum.

4.   The separatists lost the referendum.

5.   The separatists narrowly lost a referendum in October.

6.   The federal government, headed by Quebec-born Prime Minister Jean Chretien, insists the separatists will lose.

7.   The federal government has pointedly avoided detailed answers to such questions, hoping the separatists lose the referendum.

8.   The separatists narrowly lost, but have vowed to seek another referendum within a year or two on splitting the French-speaking province from Canada.

9.   There have even been predictions of an anti-immigrant backlash if the separatists lose.

10.   For the moment, however, Chretien is trying to downplay this issue simply by predicting the separatists will lose the election, making the question moot.