Pauline Marois and the Politics of the PQ

Mowich

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Jonathan Kay: Pauline Marois’ assaults on democratic values

Jonathan Kay | Aug 23, 2012 6:25 AM ET | Last Updated: Aug 23, 2012 9:27 AM ET

Given the close scrutiny that surrounded the recent Alberta election, it is somewhat surprising that more attention is not being paid to the genuinely alarming things coming out of the mouth of Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois.

During the Alberta campaign, every gaffe committed by a member of the right-wing Wildrose Party became a national news item. The Toronto media, in particular, lapped it up — because it played to our outdated stereotype of Alberta as a land of rural hicks. Yet nothing that was said in the Alberta campaign can compare to the declarations of Ms. Marois, who has easily established herself as the most xenophobic major-party leader in all of Canada.

So why has there been comparatively little uproar over Ms. Marois? It is as if Canadians in the rest of the country have become so accustomed to watching Quebec nationalists bottom-feed for votes that we no longer are shocked by it. But Quebec is, after all, part of Canada. And Ms. Marois might become the province’s next premier on Sept. 4. Surely, it is worth rousing ourselves to pay attention to the fact that this woman is proposing policies that are unconstitutional and even bigoted.

This week, for instance, Ms. Marois revived a 2007 proposal that would bar non-French speakers from holding public office in Quebec. It would even bar non-French speakers from funding political parties or petitioning the legislature. As many aboriginal leaders have pointed out, one of its primary effects would be to bar virtually all First Nations figures, especially older ones, from electoral politics. (Even today, many aboriginal students study only English and their ancestral tongues.)

Indeed, the idea is so outrageous that on Wednesday, the PQ was forced to backtrack — putting out a statement to the effect that anyone already residing in Quebec, of whatever linguistic ability, would be excluded from the language requirement. Yet even this leaves open the possibility than a non-French-speaking Canadian citizen who arrives in Quebec in the future — whether from Toronto, Yellowknife or Madrid — would be unconstitutionally stripped of his or her democratic rights because they don’t speak one of this country’s two official languages. It is a disgrace that any serious politician in Canada would think to propose such a plan.

More at:
Pauline Marois continues her assault on democratic values | Full Comment | National Post

I can't help but think that this woman is woefully short of the necessary brains it takes to realize that running on such a platform might have a reverse effect on the chances of her party gaining power in Quebec.
 

Cabbagesandking

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Apr 24, 2012
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It is a cynical calculation on her part. The appeal to the not so latent xenophobia and persecution complex is always good for the votes of the isolated and insular.

She is a racist and a hater of all things English in the Parizeau mold.
 

damngrumpy

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Mar 16, 2005
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It depends on where the mainstream is and what the issues are. For example
the left has operated in a vacuum for the federalist movement. Until now you
have to vote for a separatist party to vote at any level of center left. The NDP
Federally might change some of that. In turn the people are noticing just how
nuts political nationalism is. I subscribe to a measure of economic nationalism
but not to social or political nationalism and there is a huge difference.
Political nationalists see everything as a threat to their lifestyle to the point where
they begin to tilt at windmills.
We have seen this in the past. Quebec language laws and so on. The problem
for the separatist movement is, no matter how many seats they win in Parliament
they cannot achieve their goal of separation. The reason? People in the main
stream in Quebec are slightly left of center by nature, but the fluctuating majority
are still federalists when push comes to shove. Therefore Pauline can say what
ever the hell she wants the people will sort out the wheat from the chaff when it
comes to decision making.
In Alberta, the mainstream of the people might be conservative but they are not
crazy, they don't want to take the final step into madness and thus Wildrose wilted
In Quebec they are prepared to put up with some national rhetoric knowing full well
they will deal with it at the ballot box if it gets out of hand. We have a national
constitution as well and people in Quebec are more in tune with politics and they
filter out the rhetoric. Quebec is more left than right but still they are still middle
road, that is why the crazies come and go.
 

Machjo

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Oct 19, 2004
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It is a cynical calculation on her part. The appeal to the not so latent xenophobia and persecution complex is always good for the votes of the isolated and insular.

She is a racist and a hater of all things English in the Parizeau mold.

Only English?

When she proposed that all members of the National Assembly would be required to know French, she explicitely excluded indigenous Quebeceers alongside their English-speaking counterparts. She has been confronted by this and has simply shrugged it off.

I guess Quebec has a right to its nation, but the First Nations don't. How do you like them apples?

It depends on where the mainstream is and what the issues are. For example
the left has operated in a vacuum for the federalist movement. Until now you
have to vote for a separatist party to vote at any level of center left.

How can you call a xenophobic party "centre-left"? She makes Harper look like a progressive!
 

TenPenny

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This week, for instance, Ms. Marois revived a 2007 proposal that would bar non-French speakers from holding public office in Quebec. It would even bar non-French speakers from funding political parties or petitioning the legislature.


Absolutely stunning.
 

MapleDog

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Jun 1, 2012
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Only English?

When she proposed that all members of the National Assembly would be required to know French, she explicitely excluded indigenous Quebeceers alongside their English-speaking counterparts. She has been confronted by this and has simply shrugged it off.

I guess Quebec has a right to its nation, but the First Nations don't. How do you like them apples?
I'd guess its a foot in the mouth thing,she spoke faster than her brain can process logic "if she can be logic sometime"

its getting silly the obsession of making a nation of quebec.
A it will never happen
Bif it were to happen,if one leader of said nation can't speak english,he or she will have trouble trying to make deals with leaders of other nations.
 

willqccan

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Aug 7, 2011
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Until now you
have to vote for a separatist party to vote at any level of center left. The NDP
Federally might change some of that.

For the next election (I mean after this one), there's gonna be a provincial version of NDP, I think it's gonna be popular especially with english and federalist folks. Unfortunatly, we have to vote for crap right now.
 

Machjo

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I'd guess its a foot in the mouth thing,she spoke faster than her brain can process logic "if she can be logic sometime"

its getting silly the obsession of making a nation of quebec.
A it will never happen
Bif it were to happen,if one leader of said nation can't speak english,he or she will have trouble trying to make deals with leaders of other nations.

Just a correction; it's actually common for national leaders to not know English. They just rely on interpreters. It still doesn't change the fact that leaders of English-speaking countries have a slight advantage on that front.
 

Fletch

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Jul 13, 2012
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I am FLABERGHASTED that Thomas Mulcair; and his comment that the NDP will form a party in the next QC federal Elections, has NOT commented on the seperatist comments and racist comments by the current PQ?!?!
I full-heartedly believe that Thomas Mulcair is in 100% full support of this movement. His comments on the rest of Canada only enforce this. His "Give QC this, Give QC that" position is coming about as tantamount to treason. It is TIME that Thomas Mulcair (given his commitment to the next running) state his full position. Its time the NDP were open and accountable to Canadians as the opposition.
Remaining silnce in this position is the exact same as full support. It is time Canadians see the NDP for what they are.. A force to break up Canada
 

s_lone

Council Member
Feb 16, 2005
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I am FLABERGHASTED that Thomas Mulcair; and his comment that the NDP will form a party in the next QC federal Elections, has NOT commented on the seperatist comments and racist comments by the current PQ?!?!
I full-heartedly believe that Thomas Mulcair is in 100% full support of this movement. His comments on the rest of Canada only enforce this. His "Give QC this, Give QC that" position is coming about as tantamount to treason. It is TIME that Thomas Mulcair (given his commitment to the next running) state his full position. Its time the NDP were open and accountable to Canadians as the opposition.
Remaining silnce in this position is the exact same as full support. It is time Canadians see the NDP for what they are.. A force to break up Canada

You're being completely paranoid. Thomas Mulcair is as federalist as can be all Quebecers understand this. His only input in the Quebec campaign has been to say that next provincial election, Quebecers would have the opportunity to vote for a NDP provincial party which makes sense because right now, the only choices federalists have right now is either the corrupt Liberal party or the CAQ lead by a former PQ member who was a hard core separatist yet now says we need to put the debate on the back burner for the next 10 years (rather flaky...)
 

MapleDog

Time Out
Jun 1, 2012
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You're being completely paranoid. Thomas Mulcair is as federalist as can be all Quebecers understand this. His only input in the Quebec campaign has been to say that next provincial election, Quebecers would have the opportunity to vote for a NDP provincial party which makes sense because right now, the only choices federalists have right now is either the corrupt Liberal party or the CAQ lead by a former PQ member who was a hard core separatist yet now says we need to put the debate on the back burner for the next 10 years (rather flaky...)

They also have the choice with the quebec conservative,which is back after decades of absence,but since its a new start,they're not as many as they could be.
 

WLDB

Senate Member
Jun 24, 2011
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I full-heartedly believe that Thomas Mulcair is in 100% full support of this movement. His comments on the rest of Canada only enforce this. His "Give QC this, Give QC that" position is coming about as tantamount to treason. It is TIME that Thomas Mulcair (given his commitment to the next running) state his full position. Its time the NDP were open and accountable to Canadians as the opposition.
Remaining silnce in this position is the exact same as full support. It is time Canadians see the NDP for what they are.. A force to break up Canada

BS.


If Mulcair was a supporter of the PQ why did he not run for them instead of serving in a Liberal government? Why didnt he stay in provincial politics? Having said that he should speak up more about his position on Quebec politics. In a way he has by saying the NDP will be a provincial party in Quebec for the next election. That'll give another federalist option to the Quebec voters. Whether they chose to go with it or not is their decision.

Also even though I am a member of the party I must say I flat out disagree with the 50% plus one rule that Jack Layton was in favour of on the question of a referendum. That is not nearly good enough and is against the law on this issue.
 

s_lone

Council Member
Feb 16, 2005
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They also have the choice with the quebec conservative,which is back after decades of absence,but since its a new start,they're not as many as they could be.

Ha! You're right. It didn't even occur to me to mention them because they are so irrelevant.