A federal cash-for-favors scandal is spilling over into Canada's French-speaking province of Quebec, where support for sovereignty has reached its highest level in more than seven years, according to an opinion poll released on Wednesday. A Leger Marketing poll for the Globe and Mail and Quebec's Le Devoir newspapers said 54 percent of people in Quebec would back sovereignty in a new referendum on the issue, reflecting deep anger about allegations of corruption in Ottawa. Separatist sentiment in Quebec is the biggest threat to Canada's unity and Ottawa has tried hard to keep the lid on it since an October 1995 referendum on separation was defeated by a razor-thin margin, Reuters reported. Leger said 49 percent of those surveyed wanted another referendum, while 46 percent did not. Ottawa responded to the referendum by creating a program to increase the federal presence in Quebec, sponsoring public events and plastering the province with maple leaf flags. --more 2258 Local Time 1958 GMT
