On October 23rd 2006, this is what Paul Wells posted:
If Gilles Duceppe had a grain of strategic intelligence (and already we've leapt into the realm of science fiction), he'd make Parliament — Liberals of all allegiances, and Conservatives — vote on whether Quebec constitutes a nation.Look at what's been posted today:
Bloc Québécois supply day motion, debate to be held (whoops! Updated:) Thursday, vote to be held Monday or Tuesday:Now, I don't have to spell it out for you: Parliament is about to get interesting. Let's do a quick overview.
"Que cette Chambre reconnaisse que les Québécoises et les Québécois forment une nation."
That this House recognize that the women and men of Quebec form a nation.
Liberals: Already split between pro-Quebec-nation and anti-Quebec-nation forces. I'll bet you the Liberals will be split. Dion's and Iggy's vote will be especially interesting; it will make them are break them in Quebec/ROC.
Conservatives: Now this, I think, is more interesting. The Western Core of the Conservatives will probably vote this motion down. But how about the Quebec Conservative MPs? Will they be whipped? Will this shatter the weak new western conservative-red tory-soft nationalist allaince that Harper has managed to create before it goes into full bloom.
NDP: I don't see how the NDP has a choice but to vote for this, as the Sherbrooke Declaration, which declares Quebec a nation, was passed at the recent NDP Convention (and without the fuss that the Liberal resolution has had). Depending on what happens, this could provide Quebecois(e) with a reason to vote NDP next election. Hard to tell what the effect would be in the ROC.
Bloc Quebecois: They win, but they may have possibly paved their way to defeat by accidentally making the NDP in Quebec like the Conservative Party in the 2006 Election. Who knows?
2 comments:
I don't really believe the Sherbrooke Declaration will have any noticeable impact on Quebecers' voting choice. I mean, I think 98% of them don't even know about it, and even if they do know that Quebec is recognized as a nation by the NDP, it doesn't change that much.
The Bloc is seen as a pragmatic social democratic party that defends Quebec's interests in Ottawa, while the NDP is seen as an insignificant centralizing ideological socialist party that doesn't understand Quebec. I think it's fighting that image that would make it more appealing, not declarations and recognition of nations (not that they won't appreciate the gesture, but to them it's about as meaningful as the Communist Party saying they are)
Well, I was thinking along the lines of Quebecois(e) noticing that the Liberals and Conservatives being split/opposed to the House of Commons nation motion while the NDP (and Bloc) being for the motion.
It may prompt soft-nationalist Quebecois(e), those that are tired of the Bloc, think that Liberals are corrupt, and voted Conservative last election (but are not going to this election) to have a more serious look at the NDP.
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