Why should a province never be independent as a country? That is like saying that you don't believe in divorce in even the most extreme cases. If the man beats her and abuses her to the point of near death should she stay? Yes, I am likening the province to an abused wife as the similarities are very real.
Our black eye is the interest bearing fiat that we we use for our infrastructure. It's bloody and will take a while to stop smarting.
As Rogers Smith said, "We can't get a divorce cause we are not even married!".
So then there is that. However that is a topic for a total different day!