Thinking about the hydro dam issue a bit more..Do people really think the US would invade in this case? I'm genuinely intrigued as to whether this is based on anything real or just personal hypotheticals?
If Quebec takes the "Yes" vote as step forward, negotiates with Canada and leaves with an agreement, then there is no need for the US to do anything.
If Quebec declares independence unilaterally, then being unilateral, then Canada doesn't recognise it. Therefore surely if the US invades, it's invading a NATO member, which could theoretically invoke Article 5 and ask for help from the rest of NATO. Whether or not they do anything (highly unlikely, considering they'd effectively be opposing the US), it's an existential crisis which could easily see the destruction of NATO.
Why would the banks need to take control of the hydroelectric dams? Banks don't give a crap about national security, they care about making money. Quebec has a surplus of electricity it needs to export to provide an export revenue stream, the rest of Canada and the US will need to continue importing electricity, it's an easy commercial transaction that has little impact on sovereignty given keeping the lights on is a necessity. I don't see the reason to occupy the dams? Likewise let's be honest, Quebec isn't going to put a barrier across the St Lawrence. What's the need to occupy it?
Maybe the hydro dams (and other assetts) serve as collateral to guarantee that Quebec will pay their share of the national debt going forwards ?
I suspect Canada would want an iron clad guarantee that foreign debt holders wouldn't go after Canada if an indpendent Quebec defaults on debt payments. The debt holders may also want some certainty as well before they agree to let Canada off the hook
(for portions of loans that were originally made to the Canadian govt.)
Perhaps valuable assets in Quebec end up getting formally pledged as collateral to foreign debt holders ?
I suspect this type of arrangement would not have been popular in Quebec but it might have been popular in the rest of Canada ?