Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Quebec Is Part of Canada!

Whatever their goals as a party, the Bloc is a registered federal party. Quebecers who vote for the Bloc are legal Canadian voters. To listen to the Conservative leadership today, you'd think that Quebec wasn't a part of Canada. They're shouting to the rafters that legally elected Quebec MPs do not have a right to vote in the Canadian parliament.

They have the nerve to say that the Liberals and NDP are increasing the chances of Quebec separation by cooperating with the Bloc, when in reality, it's the Conservatives (and the Prime Minister) who are denigrating an entire province, calling them "the devil" and denying their legitimacy in Canada.

As of today, it is the centerpiece of Conservative strategy that the progressive coalition is undemocratic because it includes the Bloc. (Yesterday they said it was undemocratic because a majority of the House had no right to form a government, but overnight apparently someone gave them a lesson in parliamentary democracy so they've backed down on that one.)

The Conservative leadership should back off and apologise to the people of Quebec. Heck, I'll start the ball rolling: On behalf of the rest of Canada, I apologise to the people of Quebec.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my view, part of Harper's hidden agenda is to divide Canada - hence, cries of western separation from his more radical supporters, coupled with the demonization of Quebecers. Harper is like a black cloud hanging over Canada and it is my fond hope that he soon will be just a bad memory.

Anonymous said...

Someone better start a PR campaign against the Harper PR campaign, and quick ... and well financed. This is absolute crap. We all live according to the rule of law and we have clearly defined parliamentary rules for situations like this. Harper is trying to substitute the rule of law with mob rule, and he may get away with it given all the misinformation Conservatives are putting out.

Mad Man said...

I just found your blog linked from progressive blogger.ca I just wanted to say that this is not surprising. Its politics pure and simple. I like to consider myself a pragmatist. Harper courted the BQ numerous times, defining quebec as a nation as one example, and the conservatives have a history of bringing in sovereigntists into their government(ie Mulroney).

And people yelling about sovereignty, should really pay attention to the polls in quebec, its not even in the top 10 of priorities. And more importantly we have an election here on dec 8th, when there is a chance that the non-sovereigntist party will get a majority(and if not maybe a stronger minority). Besides the danger of separation will not come about in the federal parliament, but through the Quebec parliament. People seem to forget that.

And to preempt another complaint about the danger of one region dictating policy in a government(ie quebec through the BQ's support of the coalition), should look to how the conservative government operates. Yes they are a national party, but the main powerbase is in the west, and if you look at the policies on the economy and environment, seem to stem from the interests of that region.