Dumont IS a Separatist in Sheep’s Clothing
ADQ Autonomy strategy is set to fail and put Canadian unity in crisis
Mario Dumont is letting recent poll numbers go straight to his head. If one looks at the ADQ’s numbers, they are set to pierce into central Quebec picking up some Liberal and PQ seats in Quebec’s regions. Some pollsters are even predicting the possibility of a minority government in Quebec.
Dumont has already opined that he would force the federal government to enter into constitutional negotiations, holding the fragile PLQ minority with a knife at its throat. If Dumont would not get what he wants out of Stephen Harper, it would be another failure on the part of Ottawa, and the ADQ would hand its MNAs over to Andre Boisclair, (by then possibly Gilles Duceppe) who would call an immediate referendum..err popular consultation.
We recently saw how difficult it was for English Canada to accept the concept of Quebec being a nation. Populists arose from around the country like Warren Kinsella, defending concepts that were just as nationalist as the PQ presently espouses. It would be difficult for English Canada to accept whole-hearted reform of the Constitution given they would have clearly rejected the resolution that was brought to the House of Commons a few short months ago.
It was the leadership of Michael Ignatieff, who after being away for so long, was able to see just how much Quebec society had changed, the leadership of Stephen Harper for beating the Bloc at their own game, AND the leadership of Captain Canada, Stephane Dion who sucked it up, put the rhetoric that plagued his career (in Quebec) behind him, and ensured there would not be a prolonged fight on the issue, that weathered us through that storm.
What pure federalists and soft nationalists in Quebec can all agree on is that we no longer like Quebec City with a knife at Ottawa’s throat. The fact that the PLQ in four years, through co-operation with Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Harper, is an indication that Quebec society is best suited WITHIN the Canadian federation.
Mario Dumont wants to act as the government with the least amount of MNAs. He is using the collapse of the minority government (on the heels of a hypothetical federalist failure) as leverage. Quebecers all know what that means. Despite the fact that the vast majority of Quebecers do not want a referendum, to the point where the PQ practically liquid papered the word out of their platform, a vote for Dumont is tantamount to a game of chicken with Stephen Harper when the rest of Canada is NOT willing to play.
Four years of responsible governing has led Quebec to be in much better shape than it was four years ago. Under Jean Charest, we have seen just how much it benefits Quebec to be a part of Canada and just how much it benefits Canada to have Quebec within the fold. Mario Dumont wants to take all that and put a knife to Ottawa’s throat….or else.
If he walks like a separatist, talks like a separatist, and acts like a separatist, we know exactly what he is. Quebecers want a federalist government right now. If they want to avoid a referendum in the next four years, the only way to do so is to vote for Jean Charest and the Parti Liberal du Quebec.
Mario Dumont is letting recent poll numbers go straight to his head. If one looks at the ADQ’s numbers, they are set to pierce into central Quebec picking up some Liberal and PQ seats in Quebec’s regions. Some pollsters are even predicting the possibility of a minority government in Quebec.
Dumont has already opined that he would force the federal government to enter into constitutional negotiations, holding the fragile PLQ minority with a knife at its throat. If Dumont would not get what he wants out of Stephen Harper, it would be another failure on the part of Ottawa, and the ADQ would hand its MNAs over to Andre Boisclair, (by then possibly Gilles Duceppe) who would call an immediate referendum..err popular consultation.
We recently saw how difficult it was for English Canada to accept the concept of Quebec being a nation. Populists arose from around the country like Warren Kinsella, defending concepts that were just as nationalist as the PQ presently espouses. It would be difficult for English Canada to accept whole-hearted reform of the Constitution given they would have clearly rejected the resolution that was brought to the House of Commons a few short months ago.
It was the leadership of Michael Ignatieff, who after being away for so long, was able to see just how much Quebec society had changed, the leadership of Stephen Harper for beating the Bloc at their own game, AND the leadership of Captain Canada, Stephane Dion who sucked it up, put the rhetoric that plagued his career (in Quebec) behind him, and ensured there would not be a prolonged fight on the issue, that weathered us through that storm.
What pure federalists and soft nationalists in Quebec can all agree on is that we no longer like Quebec City with a knife at Ottawa’s throat. The fact that the PLQ in four years, through co-operation with Jean Chretien, Paul Martin, and Stephen Harper, is an indication that Quebec society is best suited WITHIN the Canadian federation.
Mario Dumont wants to act as the government with the least amount of MNAs. He is using the collapse of the minority government (on the heels of a hypothetical federalist failure) as leverage. Quebecers all know what that means. Despite the fact that the vast majority of Quebecers do not want a referendum, to the point where the PQ practically liquid papered the word out of their platform, a vote for Dumont is tantamount to a game of chicken with Stephen Harper when the rest of Canada is NOT willing to play.
Four years of responsible governing has led Quebec to be in much better shape than it was four years ago. Under Jean Charest, we have seen just how much it benefits Quebec to be a part of Canada and just how much it benefits Canada to have Quebec within the fold. Mario Dumont wants to take all that and put a knife to Ottawa’s throat….or else.
If he walks like a separatist, talks like a separatist, and acts like a separatist, we know exactly what he is. Quebecers want a federalist government right now. If they want to avoid a referendum in the next four years, the only way to do so is to vote for Jean Charest and the Parti Liberal du Quebec.
par / by Anthony à / at 1:54 p.m.
10 Commentaires:
Antonio,
Dumont has to deal with this issue.
Personally, I think Liberals (federal and provincial) see political gain from keeping the threat of referendums forever over our heads, but they are, no doubt, on Team Canada.
My warning to you: Dumont has a way out of this mess, as I've explained to him.
Phil,
I will vote for the PLQ. I have been saying that since last year after confronting Mr. Charest on a few issues. While not perfect, his term was certainly better than others before him.
Second, Ignatieff had the courage to bring this issue to the taable, and must be commended for doing so. I also commend Dion for accepting this after initial refusal and allowing the fight over the topic to end before it got out of hand. I think my analysis of how it went down is pretty fair.
The Term "Western Canada" is just as divisive as "English Canada" Are you saying we stop using the term "Western Canada" as well? It is simply a way of distinguishing the difference between two groups. You are engaging in the populism i decried in my post.
Chucker,
I dont see a way around what he said. Do what I say on constitutional issues...or else?
Sounds like the PQ stole their "hide the referendum word" strategy from the ADQ...
Antonio,
The difference between English Canada and Western Canada is that people in Western Canada will identify themselves as 'Westerner' whereas nobody in English Canada refers to themselves as Anglophone. Unfortunately, the only place where English Canada resides is within the imagination of French Canadians as it constructs a binational dichotomy. If you go to Enderby, BC and ask people if there English Canadians, they'll look at you like your from Mars. Like myself, I see myself as an Okanagian, a British Columbian, a Westerner, and a Canadian, but I don't recognize myself as an English Canadian.
As far as Dumont's "autonomist" stance, I don't really see a distinction between him and Charest or more accurately Bourassa. Speaking to my thesis director (who is a francophone quebecor), he preferred to describe Charest as "autonomist" rather than "federalist". Personally, I think this has more to do with Charest realizing that even though ADQ is stealing votes from the PQ, they're stealing seats from the PLQ to such a degree that the possibility of a PQ minority government with less than 30% of the popular vote is growing.
Sounds like back to the future all over again - Egalité ou Independence - the Union Nationale is reborn!
Charest an "autonomist"?
I don't think he stands for anything.
right on antonio. in a biparty system, the ADQ has no place in here. ADQ can't do nothing but weakening the federalist support and let the minority of separatist get in.
If he walks like a separatist, talks like a separatist, and acts like a separatist, we know exactly what he is.
Nicely put.
--
My comment is a bit off topic. I'm surprised noone in the Liberal Blogging world is reporting much on the lastest Ipsos poll that has the LPC only 4 points behind the CPC.
This polls is from March 4/07 and counters the media calls of doom for the LPC.
Here is the press release, check it out.
http://www.ipsos-na.com/news/pressrelease.cfm?id=3392
What a 'chicken little' view of things you have. Dumont is no more going to hand over his MNas to the PQ than the Expos are going to rise again. He is now tasting power -- had he been so altruistic he'd have thrown in with one or the other parties a while ago. Besides, it appears to me, that if he is becoming that much of a nationalist and growing in popularity, it is essentially that periodic shift that occurs when one popular party is replaced by just a fresher version (in BC we have the BC Liberals resurrected from the ashes of the Socreds; nationally the Reforrm replaced Progressive Conservatives etc)... If he ramps up his talk of nationalistic, separatism like fighting words, its effectively to squeeze the last life blood from Bosclair's team. And I don't see a minority for Charest as a dooms-day scenario... The sabre-rattling by your province at the national and provincial rivals will continue until the end of time, constitution be damned.
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