|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 4, 2012 13:12:25 GMT -5
Just wanted to solicit some feedback from some of our Quebec-based brethern. How do you guys see this election?
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Doc Holliday on Sept 4, 2012 14:16:49 GMT -5
Election was launched by Jean Charest (Liberal) shortly after an independent commission had been created to investigate on the many corruptions and mafia ties in the provincial government and construction industry.
A new party, CAQ, formed by the defunct ADQ, some old PQ members, and some respected figures in the province, rapidly gained popularity banking on their ability to "clean up" the government and many Right Wing ideas. They're in a toe-to-toe battle for the official opposition with Jean Charest's PLQ.
The government itself will be a PQ government. Whether or not it'll be a majority govt. or not remains uncertain.
From recent polls:
Montreal Island will support PLQ, that's 27%, good for about 33 seats.
Quebec region will support the CAQ, that's 27%, good for 24 seats.
The rest of the province will support the PQ, that's 33% , good for 66 seats.
10% should go to parties such as QS (at the Extreme Left), ON (an Independence party) and whatever else (Green or what have you), good for 2 seats.
Many, many battles remain really close though, which will decide on a majority government or not and who will be the official oppposition.
P.S.: From a purely personal stand, it's probably the worst mudslinging contest of a campaign, I've ever witness.
Biggest themes (not the only ones) of this election (in random order):
Government corruption
Natural resources development
Health care system
Student fees and bill 78
Independance
|
|
|
|
Post by jkr on Sept 4, 2012 16:55:23 GMT -5
I've been following it from Ontario & wonder after watching Marois backtrack on issues like - - what will trigger an independence referendum - French language requirements for those who wnat to run for office I wonder if she's competent to run the province. Other issues like the banning of religious symbols are bothersome & IMO is outright prejudice. I guess people are fed up with Charest. If I was still in Montreal I think I would give the CAQ a try. Quebecers have been known to vore unexpectedly. They did put Mario Dumont in as oppposition leader at one time and then there are all those NDP MPs.  |
|
|
|
Post by Doc Holliday on Sept 4, 2012 17:21:54 GMT -5
I tell ya JKR there's been a lot of backtracking from all of 'hem in this campaign...
But I have no trouble believing Marois is getting all the bad press in the world in Ontario...
What's odd though, is that Marois and the PQ are the ones that spoke the least about referendums... The PQ current program doesn't call for a rush referendum and claim they'd only do one if a majority of voters felt a need for it. Yet the CAQ and the PLQ kept bringing it up... referendum... referendum... referendum... In the fact the PQ's current position is so soft on Independance, that it's the reason why Legault, head of the CAQ left the PQ just 2 years ago and the reason why Aussant, head of ON, left the PQ to launch his own party.
...Nothing blurry about Marois's position on independance, she repeated the same darn thing over and over, "will you call a referendum on your first mendate?"... "only if we feel a majority of voters want it".
Right now, Independance support in the Q hovers in the 30%...
And yet... referendum...referendum...referendum...
|
|
|
|
Post by jkr on Sept 4, 2012 20:03:39 GMT -5
Just some some results. Looks like a PQ majority.
|
|
|
|
Post by CentreHice on Sept 4, 2012 21:54:35 GMT -5
Sorry for my poor memory in this regard (and the laziness to look up all the dates/facts) but I thought I might get some quicker answers here.....
1. What was it that initiated the exodus of quite a few businesses from Quebec (especially Montreal) the last time? How many years ago was that? Did those businesses ever return...and if not, did the economy suffer very much?
2. Might it occur again when referendum talks heat up, and can Quebec afford for that to happen?
On another note, is the French culture still really in peril? I mean, haven't great pains been taken in ensuring its preservation and celebration?
Just asking....as I don't live there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 4, 2012 22:44:37 GMT -5
PQ minority government; eight seats more than the Liberals (56/48).
Got the impression that this election was more about removing the Liberals than anything else.
I was listening to CTV and I hadn't realized just how experienced Pauline Marois is. She's held every important post in the party and now she's Quebec's first female premier. Well done! However, she's an emotional politician as well.
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 4, 2012 22:48:55 GMT -5
2. Might it occur again when referendum talks heat up, and can Quebec afford for that to happen? CH, I saw an article on Canoe.ca that gave the percentages. Does that mean the rest of Canada ought to be worried about a new "separatist threat"? No.
Marois knows perfectly well that fewer than one in three Quebecers even want a referendum to begin with and that just 28% would vote "yes" to separation from Canada. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by seventeen on Sept 4, 2012 23:49:38 GMT -5
...Nothing blurry about Marois's position on independance, she repeated the same darn thing over and over, "will you call a referendum on your first mendate?"... " only if we feel a majority of voters want it".That basically means, "only if we have a chance of pulling it off" Otherwise we'd be taking a politician at their word, and how many of those are there in the world? I can count them on the fingers of the Venus de Milo. I'm not taking one side or the other, just commenting on the quote. The poll percentages for independence don't surprise me, Doc. The older we get, the less enamoured we are with change, and in all parts of Canada we are an aging population. |
|
|
|
Post by Skilly on Sept 5, 2012 5:29:11 GMT -5
Sorry for my poor memory in this regard (and the laziness to look up all the dates/facts) but I thought I might get some quicker answers here..... 1. What was it that initiated the exodus of quite a few businesses from Quebec (especially Montreal) the last time? How many years ago was that? Did those businesses ever return...and if not, did the economy suffer very much? 2. Might it occur again when referendum talks heat up, and can Quebec afford for that to happen? On another note, is the French culture still really in peril? I mean, haven't great pains been taken in ensuring its preservation and celebration? Just asking....as I don't live there. Was watching some of the results last night on TV. Of course, the separation issue came up, but the part I caught was the economic effects separation would have on Canada and on Quebec. Now I don't know how good an economist Amanda Lang is, but she basically said that The Canadian dollar would likely suffer, as it did the last time separation was on the forefront as investors stay away from the Canadian dollar. However, she posted a graphic comparing Quebec's GDP to Italy's, since 1981. The trend was virtually identical. From this she concluded Quebec would suffer drastically if "true separation" (her words) were to occur. |
|
|
|
Post by Doc Holliday on Sept 5, 2012 8:24:16 GMT -5
Sorry for my poor memory in this regard (and the laziness to look up all the dates/facts) but I thought I might get some quicker answers here..... 1. What was it that initiated the exodus of quite a few businesses from Quebec (especially Montreal) the last time? How many years ago was that? Did those businesses ever return...and if not, did the economy suffer very much? 1976 election, when René Levesque was elected with the PQ for the first time. In the following years some head offices moved out of Montreal, mainly Sun Life, the Royal Bank and part of Montreal Bank operations (though not the head office) as a reaction to bill 101. 2. Might it occur again when referendum talks heat up, and can Quebec afford for that to happen? I doubt it. Independence support hit an all time high with Lucien Bouchard in 1995 with no effect on head offices moving out. As I said, head offices moved out as a reaction to bill 101, not possible referendums. I.E., these were companies, in Montreal, that were conducting business solely in English and didn't want to change that. Companies in Quebec who aren't ready to use French as the predominant (not the only) language of work will move out. So be it. On another note, is the French culture still really in peril? I mean, haven't great pains been taken in ensuring its preservation and celebration? Protecting the French language and culture in Quebec is not something that can ever be considered "done with" or put on the back burner. In this election 3 provincial parties out of 4 recognized that the French language on the island of Montreal was dangerously taking steps back, and promised to address that . Only the Liberals pussy footed around the issue, their core voters being the Anglophone community. ** Unfortunately this election ended in a very unfortunate terrorism attack towards the PQ. At the PQ headquarter, a killer armed with bombs and guns killed a technician, injured another and set fire to the building before the police could stop him. The killer's AK-47 got stuck before he could go on a real killing rampage. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 5, 2012 9:49:10 GMT -5
Now I don't know how good an economist Amanda Lang is, but she basically said that The Canadian dollar would likely suffer, as it did the last time separation was on the forefront as investors stay away from the Canadian dollar. However, she posted a graphic comparing Quebec's GDP to Italy's, since 1981. The trend was virtually identical. From this she concluded Quebec would suffer drastically if "true separation" (her words) were to occur. Saw this too. While Quebec doesn't have the amount of debt Italy has, it's quite substantial just the same. I remember her saying exactly what said in that, if Quebec were to separate they'd have to take their provincial debt with them and they'd be hurting in a big way. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by CentreHice on Sept 5, 2012 9:55:58 GMT -5
Thanks for the info and opinion, Doc!
Insanity, or brainwashing* at its worst, on display at PQ headquarters afterward.
(* the nurture and development of divisive hatred in all its forms)
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 5, 2012 10:30:03 GMT -5
Unfortunately this election ended in a very unfortunate terrorism attack towards the PQ. At the PQ headquarter, a killer armed with bombs and guns killed a technician, injured another and set fire to the building before the police could stop him. The killer's AK-47 got stuck before he could go on a real killing rampage. I don't like this at all, Doc. I'm very leary about the way this all unfolded. There's been no separatist/nationalist furvor for years now ... the majority of Quebecers simply don't want it and the issue has been zilch on the national map ... then some crazed Anglophone opens up with an AK 47 all the while shouting, "the English have awoken." I don't know which Anglophone community he figures to represent, but he's not the voice of English Canada or English Quebec for that matter. I'm very interested in hearing how this unfolds. There are too many loose ends right now. Far too coincidental and far too convenient for my liking. We need more information. I certainly hope the second victim pulls through. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Sept 5, 2012 12:42:52 GMT -5
Sorry for my poor memory in this regard (and the laziness to look up all the dates/facts) but I thought I might get some quicker answers here..... 1. What was it that initiated the exodus of quite a few businesses from Quebec (especially Montreal) the last time? How many years ago was that? Did those businesses ever return...and if not, did the economy suffer very much? 2. Might it occur again when referendum talks heat up, and can Quebec afford for that to happen? On another note, is the French culture still really in peril? I mean, haven't great pains been taken in ensuring its preservation and celebration? Just asking....as I don't live there. The last big exodus from Quebec was about the time I left, which was early 80's. Companies didn't just close shop and leave, but rather, they quietly opened branch sites in Ontario and in time, shut down their Quebec operations, or left them as sales branches. I came to Ontario from Quebec to do exactly that. Of course, there were also outright moves and shut down with no regard to what was probably minor sale in Quebec. That's is about the time that Montreal became second fiddle to Toronto. |
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Sept 5, 2012 12:50:43 GMT -5
1976 election, when René Levesque was elected with the PQ for the first time. In the following years some head offices moved out of Montreal, mainly Sun Life, the Royal Bank and part of Montreal Bank operations (though not the head office) as a reaction to bill 101. A lot more then that. The business and educated class left quietly but the results were not that quiet. There was a direct shift of Montreal versus Toronto as the money a skills/businesses left. When I came in TO, I was looking for a house and every agent I spoke too already had sold a house or seven to ex Quebecers. |
|
|
|
Post by Doc Holliday on Sept 5, 2012 12:51:50 GMT -5
Unfortunately this election ended in a very unfortunate terrorism attack towards the PQ. At the PQ headquarter, a killer armed with bombs and guns killed a technician, injured another and set fire to the building before the police could stop him. The killer's AK-47 got stuck before he could go on a real killing rampage. I don't like this at all, Doc. I'm very leary about the way this all unfolded. There's been no separatist/nationalist furvor for years now ... the majority of Quebecers simply don't want it and the issue has been zilch on the national map ... then some crazed Anglophone opens up with an AK 47 all the while shouting, "the English have awoken." I don't know which Anglophone community he figures to represent, but he's not the voice of English Canada or English Quebec for that matter. I'm very interested in hearing how this unfolds. There are too many loose ends right now. Far too coincidental and far too convenient for my liking. We need more information. I certainly hope the second victim pulls through. Cheers. ...if you go on Youtube you can view a disturbing video, Pauline Marois giving her speech and all of sudden you see a bullet hole appear in the curtain behind her, a few inches from her head... I'm no weapon expert but I don't think any Joe Shmoe can shoot an assault riffle from a distance and hit a target with inch precision... And I'm no special operation specialist Dis, but the whole thing was just a tiny bit too well put together and executed to be the job of one lone crazy wacko who didn't know what he was doing... ...loose ends fer sure. That said I don't believe the guy is representative of the English community in any way or form... As you said we'll see how this unfolds. The present climate in Quebec is very tough Rick. For months the province has been nothing but confrontations, tension, street riots, bombing in the metro, all this compounded by a political class taking vicious verbal attacks at each other, playing on innuendos, half-truths, fear, etc... and of course the media stirring the pot and adding their salt on the wounds every chance they get... Hopefully, this act of violence puts an end to this climate of intolerance and disrespect and not propels it to new heights... |
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Sept 5, 2012 13:04:51 GMT -5
I didn't follow what happened...but if it was an AK....
AK's are more spray guns then assassination weapons. Which means it could be a nutcase getting his hands on what appears to be a cheap "military grade" weapon and knows nothing about them....OR if it is a set up, it will garner more publicity then a hunting rifle.
If someone used a run of the mill bambi hunting rifle like a .308, she would be dead.
EDIT....
BTW, my ex-girlfriend never fired a round and given 5 minutes of instructions, she was able to hit Molson Ex's at 100 yards with my high powered rifle. Look through the tube, put the cross-hairs on it and.....fire. Once she got over the fear of a kickback, she got better and better. Not exactly rocket science.
Which means what?
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 5, 2012 17:01:39 GMT -5
...if you go on Youtube you can view a disturbing video, Pauline Marois giving her speech and all of sudden you see a bullet hole appear in the curtain behind her, a few inches from her head... I'm no weapon expert but I don't think any Joe Shmoe can shoot an assault riffle from a distance and hit a target with inch precision... And I'm no special operation specialist Dis, but the whole thing was just a tiny bit too well put together and executed to be the job of one lone crazy wacko who didn't know what he was doing... ...loose ends fer sure. If this is so, it would indicate that the guy had some sort of weapons training. However, I tried to find the clip you're talking about and the one I found noted that the hole in the curtain was actually a dead pixel. I'm almost certain that the police said that the gunman never got close to Marois when he let those rounds go. I'm kind of interested in seeing if Marois tries to turn this into another Balkan scenario. I'm also interested in seeing how Harper handles the present scenario as well. His negotiation skills will be tested big time. Thanks man. I knew the political scene was/is a mess, which just compounds current problems. However, while I've seen what you're talking about in the news, I just didn't put it altogether. Without actually living in Quebec I can't get an empathic vision of what's been going on. I think you're right about the media, though. They're going to keep generating as much conflict as they can, possibly even try putting it on the international news map. Both the country and the province of Quebec just don't need this. The province is in need of a strong government capable of governing. Lucien Bouchard knew this and he excelled in office after taking over from Parizeau. Thanks buds. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 5, 2012 17:51:17 GMT -5
I didn't follow what happened...but if it was an AK.... AK's are more spray guns then assassination weapons. Which means it could be a nutcase getting his hands on what appears to be a cheap "military grade" weapon and knows nothing about them....OR if it is a set up, it will garner more publicity then a hunting rifle. My question is, how did he get his hands on an AK47 in Canada? I used to own a CZ75 in Germany, but I knew if I tried bringing an automatic handgun back into Canada I'd have all sorts of problems. From what I remember, you're not allowed to own an automatic weapon of any kind in Canada unless you're a bonafide gun collector. So, where did he get it then? I originally had this all pounded out for Doc, but it didn't work into the conversation very well. Does now, though. As far as the weapon, itself, is concerned, it's easily one of the most reliable assault weapons ever made. It very rarely jams even when it's dirty and it's a very simple, reliable design that fires a 7.62 mm round. It can also fire NATO 7.62 rounds, though it doesn't work the other way around (cases of barrels exploding). A 7.62 mm round is more than adequate for either spraying an area with bullets or using it for accuracy. It has a much greater velocity than the 5.56 rounds currently being used by many countries and it does significantly more damage to non-human targets. The 5.56 mm rounds do a lot of damage because they don't have the velocity the 7.62 mm rounds have. Once the 5.56 mm gets to a certain distance it starts to tumble and it tends to rip rather than puncture cleanly like the 7.62 does. In that context the 5.56 round will more damage to a human target. Very similar rounds with very slight differences, but both would be more than adequate to do the job. One of my secondary duties while in uniform was Range Safety Officer (RSO). You can take a person who never shot a rifle before and once you get them over the fear of weapon they'll do just fine. Like your ex girlfriend, I had a young female cook who simply failed to qualify on the ranges. By the end of the morning she not only qualified on the C7, she obtained a "first-class shot" rating. As for the AK47, you don't need all that much training to use it. It's very easy to disassemble/assemble (literally seconds). Anyone can use it because it's so simple to use. Now, where did he get it? Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 5, 2012 18:57:15 GMT -5
Well, Charest is done with politics. His party was second in the popular vote but they were able to keep it close with slightly less seats than the PQ. However, losing in his own riding was probably the straw that broke the camel's back.
Charest had an excellent run in politics and to think he's only a few months older than me. Nine years as premier and I remember him being one of only two survivors when the Tories were decimated by Chretien's Liberals.
Quite the jump into provincial politics as he had to cross the floor, so to speak. Very opportunistic period on several levels.
I think we might see him resurface if the federal Liberals can't sort out their leadership issues. Not sure if he's completely out of the game regardless what he says.
The politician.
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Sept 5, 2012 21:14:38 GMT -5
Dis,
AK's are $400 in the US and readily available in gun trade shows. They can be converted to auto very easily.
If the guy had any knowledge of guns, he wouldn't pick a gun with a 5-6" MOA. Second rounds are even worse. If he used beer bottles to learn how to shoot it, he would of been better off throwing beer bottles at her. I put several clips through one back and if cranky old age memory serves me right, the gun lifted after every shot.
Side story....
My godfather lived in Macon Georgia, was extremely well off and had the arsenal top prove it. 300 plus guns with some pieces that we only read about. Including a Weatheby 460, WW1 Lugars, etc. He passed away in 2000, a few years before that, I still remember his....."son, take anything you like, hell take them all". Yup, I would have been front page news crossing the border. Besides my distinct lack of taste for jails, it would of cost me a fortune to insure it, every hoodlum would make my house a target AND last but not least, I have a wife wit ha a short temper.
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 5, 2012 23:02:56 GMT -5
Dis, AK's are $400 in the US and readily available in gun trade shows. They can be converted to auto very easily. If the guy had any knowledge of guns, he wouldn't pick a gun with a 5-6" MOA. Second rounds are even worse. If he used beer bottles to learn how to shoot it, he would of been better off throwing beer bottles at her. I put several clips through one back and if cranky old age memory serves me right, the gun lifted after every shot. Actually I can relate to this. I was in the artillery cadets (militia later) back in 1971/72 (militia after) and we were allowed to fire the FN C1, 7.62. You learned very quickly to tuck your cheek into the rifle butt when firing it. If you didn't tuck it in you'd receive a large welt on your cheek. We knew the new guys in the unit because they'd be the ones with the bruised cheeks. Sounds like quite the collection. There's a lot of history associated with a collection that has the weapons you mentioned. I had a chance at buying a P 38 Walther when I was in Germany. It was in the original holster and had one owner; a German Polizei. So you know it was looked after. The gunman aside, Marois and the PQ have a tough challenge ahead of them. If she sorts out just a little bit of the mess Charest left for her, the PQ will do better in the next election. She has to be careful not to rile the opposition parties, though. They're going to have a say in the way the province conducts business. Question to the Quebecers in our community; do you foresee another election in the near future? Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Sept 6, 2012 1:54:58 GMT -5
Dis, I'm planning on heading south on the Nov 4th or so to help my buddies and....afterwards go out to scratch some targets. One of them bought a CheyTac .408. Two hundred yard range is gonna feel kind of cramped! Back in the mid 70's, I use to go down to Huntingdon Quebec with a 22-250 and made friends with woodchucks out in the 500-600 yard range. Loved it but expensive like hell for a student. Since then, other then trips south, I haven't got anyone to shoot with and kind of left the sport. Bought a few high powered and some high accuracy air rifles, but it's not the same. The upside is I can shoot all I want inside my plant and I'm not going to see SWAT teams dropping from the rafters. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OcVrYChILgAs for Marois.....PQ.... I'm pretty confident that Harper will neither let her set the agenda or react to her. On the other hand, I expect the lefty media and NDP to build this up and scream their usual garbage. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 6, 2012 9:25:34 GMT -5
Dis, I'm planning on heading south on the Nov 4th or so to help my buddies and....afterwards go out to scratch some targets. One of them bought a CheyTac .408. Two hundred yard range is gonna feel kind of cramped! Back in the mid 70's, I use to go down to Huntingdon Quebec with a 22-250 and made friends with woodchucks out in the 500-600 yard range. Loved it but expensive like hell for a student. Since then, other then trips south, I haven't got anyone to shoot with and kind of left the sport. Bought a few high powered and some high accuracy air rifles, but it's not the same. The upside is I can shoot all I want inside my plant and I'm not going to see SWAT teams dropping from the rafters. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OcVrYChILgDude! Man, I haven't shot a weapon of any kind in about eight years. Keep your cheek tucked in buds. I'm talking from experience ;D Harper knows what to do. The election results are not indicative of a new referendum. He'll treat her like he does the other premiers. And he's already stated that he's more about getting the province's economics sorted out more than anything else. I'm hoping the PQ get down to economics right away. Listening to what Doc was saying earlier, I think that should be the priority and they shouldn't waste any time on that. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Doc Holliday on Sept 6, 2012 11:22:29 GMT -5
The gunman aside, Marois and the PQ have a tough challenge ahead of them. If she sorts out just a little bit of the mess Charest left for her, the PQ will do better in the next election. She has to be careful not to rile the opposition parties, though. They're going to have a say in the way the province conducts business. Question to the Quebecers in our community; do you foresee another election in the near future? Cheers. It sure won't go 4 years, but it'll hold a bit. Without a party leader and with the Charbonneau commission just about to shed some public lights on what many believe has been a highly corrupted Liberal Government, I strongly doubt the Liberals will want to rush into an election, in fact I think they're going to be really-really open to PQ's ideas, to avoid it in the short term. Otherwise they could just desintegrate. As a side note Dis, with Charest stepping down, Rae and Dion already going public with "...we expect Harper to give the hard line to Quebec.." and M.Layton no longer around. Who's a credible "Captain Canada" to Quebecers now? Nobody. Hard Line Federalists better not poke the bear too hard... Harper isn't too popular in the Q, but since his roots are from the Reform/Alliance, parties that were pushing for a decentralized Canada, he may just be the men that can find some new common ground... as odd as it may sound. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 6, 2012 11:47:40 GMT -5
Without a party leader and with the Charbonneau commission just about to shed some public lights on what many believe has been a highly corrupted Liberal Government, I strongly doubt the Liberals will want to rush into an election, in fact I think they're going to be really-really open to PQ's ideas, to avoid it in the short term. Otherwise they could just desintegrate. This is how far out of touch I am with regards to Quebec politics, Doc. You're absolutely right. If multi-levels of corruption is discovered, the Liberals will be on the defence and that might just open the door for Mme. Marois and the PQ to provoke another election. And if the Liberals simply hand that opportunity to them ... Quebec is not alone there, Doc. There's probably a few other provinces who simply don't trust Harper (enter Skilly ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...) That said, I don't see Harper playing the antagonist. He'll do what he has to in order to keep the country together. Cheers. |
|
|
|
Post by Gogie on Sept 6, 2012 13:33:25 GMT -5
I suspect the "hard line" Harper will give to Quebec (if he's smart) is to ignore the PQ. Any demands they have will have no political repercussions for Harper and the Conservatives - they have no support in Quebec to try to pander to so they can afford to alienate the Quebec voters. With a minorty government and clearly no mandate for a referendum, the threat of separation is a non-starter for the PQ at this time. At the end of the day I suspect we'll see lots of posturing out of Quebec but nothing of substance.
As much as I dislike Harper, he may be the best thing for the country at this particular moment. He's in a position where he doesn't have to give in to any demands from Quebec so he can take a more nationalistic approach without fear of losing his mandate. If that turns out to be too pro-West of an approach then we may have a whole other set of problems to deal with.
C'est la vie, at least in Canada.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Sept 20, 2012 13:06:47 GMT -5
As much as I dislike Harper, he may be the best thing for the country at this particular moment. . If I had a dollar for every time I read that.....even from the left. My America conservative friends want to kidnap him and make him President. I have become a big fan of Harper. He is the pragmatist and adult in our politics.....and most of the world, particularly the US. |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Sept 22, 2012 13:06:23 GMT -5
As much as I dislike Harper, he may be the best thing for the country at this particular moment. . If I had a dollar for every time I read that.....even from the left. My America conservative friends want to kidnap him and make him President. I have become a big fan of Harper. He is the pragmatist and adult in our politics.....and most of the world, particularly the US. Harper has been the most visually-active PM since Trudeau, IMHO. He and his Foreign Minister, John Baird, are quite busy of late. Harper has expelled Iranian diplomats from Canada, and closed the Canadian embassy in Tehran. I honestly don't know if these are precursors to any future action, but Harper has publicly stated that Iran poses a threat to world security. More to follow on this I'm sure. He has also made it clear that his priority with the new PQ government is to work with them in getting the province's economics under control and to promote job creation. Right on. Harper is taking care of business both inside and outside the Canadian border. It's odd, but thought about Harper as president not too long ago. But, that's only because of the (lack of) choices the American electorate have. Obama or the alternative ... at least Harper has leadership. Cheers. |
|
