Hopefully the PQ crawls back under a rock with the defeated Bloc MP's. Would be nice if they drifted into history and the next election was between the Libs and CAQ.
Good news! Hopefully the PLQ have cleaned up their act and can set the stage for Quebec to reduce its debt, improve the economy, and eventually become a have province and a net contributor to confederation.
I think the message from the voters is pretty clear. The PQ put too many anti-Canadian and repugnant societal ideologies forward. Loss of government and the leader loses her ward.
The Following User Says Thank You to Hessen For This Useful Post:
I find it equally embarrassing that our SITTING PM 'entertains' us with his second rate Beatles covers and drives ATVs around runways shouting "I make the rules". Totally unbecoming.
Seriously? I love that he plays the piano and can sing well. I don't know the reference to ATVs but I'm proud that our PM has musical talent, and I'm not even a Harper supporter.
Seems like separatism is political poison in Quebec now. The PQ cratered when even the hint of a referendum/independence became an issue.
I'm not overly familiar with CAQ... but it seems like there's a big opportunity for a party in Quebec who fits that 'strong' Quebec mold without the the separatist bent if they can build momentum.
In his victory speech in Saint-Félicien, Que., Mr. Couillard reached out to minorities who felt targeted by PQ policies.
“We share the values of generosity, compassion, solidarity and equality of men and women with our anglophone fellow citizens who also built Quebec and with our fellow citizens who came from all over the world to write the next chapter in our history with us,” he said.
“I want to tell them that the time of injury is over. Welcome, you are at home here.”
Quote:
He also said the days of picking fights with Ottawa are finished. “I will act constructively so Quebec is once again a leader in the Canadian federation,” he said.
“Dear friends, the division is over. Reconciliation has arrived.”
The election results were a big surprise and a huge slap in the face for Marois and the PQ. I never expected Marois and the party to be defeated in such a manner. I thought it would be a much closer race.
Seems like separatism is political poison in Quebec now. The PQ cratered when even the hint of a referendum/independence became an issue.
I'm not overly familiar with CAQ... but it seems like there's a big opportunity for a party in Quebec who fits that 'strong' Quebec mold without the the separatist bent if they can build momentum.
The CAQ is a right leaning party (socially and fiscally) and right-wing politics haven't been particularly popular for decades outside of Quebec city and it's surrounding regions, so I think they'd be in tough to ever form a government just based on their position in the political spectrum.
I did think Legault's switch to English mid-speech and his call for anglophone support was a very good move on his part though. It basically kills two birds with one stone; it distances the party from the PQ and their divisive politics and at the same times challenges the Liberals who control the vast majority of the anglo vote.
As the Liberals have been rife with corruption in the recent past though, I still think there's a gap in Quebec politics that can be filled by a centre-left party with a strong stance on Federalism. The Liberals didn't really win because of a good campaign; they won due to fear of the PQ's divisive Charter and refusal to rule out a referendum. People elected, by a landslide, a party that is still widely believed to be corrupt over that, and I think that speaks volumes.
As the Liberals have been rife with corruption in the recent past though, I still think there's a gap in Quebec politics that can be filled by a centre-left party with a strong stance on Federalism. The Liberals didn't really win because of a good campaign; they won due to fear of the PQ's divisive Charter and refusal to rule out a referendum. People elected, by a landslide, a party that is still widely believed to be corrupt over that, and I think that speaks volumes.
That's it right there.
There are lot of people in Quebec who vote for the PQ, but who are not separatists. They vote for them because they think that it is the best party to promote Quebec interests on a federal level. Many of them get freaked out when the separatism issue takes centre stage.
Regional interest parties are actually the norm in many countries in the world.
__________________
"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
