Stephen Harper wonders how bad his luck can get in Quebec

[s_lone]

Stephen Harper wonders how bad his luck can get in Quebec
by Paul Wells on Friday, June 22, 2012

Stephen Harper doesn’t announce many of his most important meetings. He routinely meets one-on-one with provincial premiers without either party mentioning the encounters to reporters. And from Stephanie Levitz at Canadian Press comes news that he met Brian Mulroney and, separately, Jean Charest last week. Why? Levitz’s sources have a hunch:

A provincial by-election in Quebec last week saw the sovereigntist Parti Quebecois win a riding that’s been held by the Liberals for 46 years.

It suggests the party’s strength is growing as support for the current Liberal government melts from the heat of sustained student protests and a provincial election is expected in the fall.

If another national unity debate springs from a PQ victory, Harper would be in an enfeebled position relative to his predecessors: his Conservative party polls in the low teens in Quebec and there is no effective spokesperson for federalist forces in the governing party.

The sit-down with Mulroney signals how skittish the federal government is about their continued failure to connect with Quebecers.

Read the rest here:

Stephen Harper wonders how bad his luck can get in Quebec - Capital Read, Inkless Wells - Macleans.ca

 

[Machjo]

Remember though, S_lone, some Conservatives (though probably not the majority of them) want Quebec to leave Canada. This could put Harper in a difficult predicament with his voter base if he tries too hard to woo Quebec; he'd be accused of pandering by many on the right of the Conservative Party.

 

[B00Mer]

Remember though, S_lone, some Conservatives (though probably not the majority of them) want Quebec to leave Canada. This could put Harper in a difficult predicament with his voter base if he tries too hard to woo Quebec; he'd be accused of pandering by many on the right of the Conservative Party.

I for one, are one of those Conservatives..

I would like to see a strong united Canada, but the endless winning from Quebec for special rights.. in some way, it's best we go with the inedible and Quebec becomes New France and the rest of Canada, well divided up into states.. and joins the USA.

Giving into any concessions to Quebec was the wrong thing to do in the first place, and will eventually lead Canada down a dark path. You got Quebeckers coming west not speaking a lick of English, working at McDonalds.. they have become our Mexicans.

The ones that can speak English take the civil servants jobs.. you know the CSR at Revenue Canada that fukks you over 3 ways to Sunday before they get anything right..

Same in the USA.. just with the Spanish language.

 

[Machjo]

I for one, are one of those Conservatives..

But I see you're quite grammatically liberal.

 

[s_lone]

Things are gonna get dirty in the next Quebec provincial election. The stakes are high and if the PQ wins, we are indeed heading towards another identity crisis. The PQ doesn't promise any referendum but plans to act upon a principle of ''gouvernance souverainiste''. Basically that means, asking for more powers from Ottawa. If it works, than Quebec becomes a bit more independent. If it doesn't, it gives separatism a boost.

But nothing's done yet. The Liberals and the PQ are neck to neck in the polls.

As things are going now, I pretty much want anything but the stinking Liberals.

 

[Cliffy]

We need some political perspective in Canada and Quebec. Resurrect the Rhinoceros Party!

 

[JLM]

We need some political perspective in Canada and Quebec. Resurrect the Rhinoceros Party!

Did you really think they would be able to keep any of the promises they made before?

 

[Cliffy]

Did you really think they would be able to keep any of the promises they made before?

Why not? Are they any more absurd than any of the other parties? They perform a public service - making people laugh at politics.

 

[SLM]

Didn't they promise to do nothing for anyone? Seems like an easy promise to keep.

 

[Cliffy]

There was an independent candidate on Van Isle back in the 70s or 80s that promised to do nothing so he couldn't possibly screw anything up. His campaign poster had a picture of him with his finger up his nose with the caption: "Pick a Winner!" Missed winning his seat by a handful of votes too.

The Rhinos promised free beer for everyone, I believe.

 

[lone wolf]

Who were the guys who floated on air?

 

[SLM]

Who were the guys who floated on air?

The Marijuana Party?

 

[lone wolf]

The Marijuana Party?

They floated on something ... going by the ever-in-jail local rep, Ethier.

 

[Cliffy]

Who were the guys who floated on air?

The Natural Law Party. They did yogic flying with their legs crossed. Funny as hell to watch a room full of people bouncing up and down in a yoga position.

Re-Introducing the Natural Law Party of Canada – Better government through Yogic Flying

 

[lone wolf]

That's the guys! Thanks!

 

[WLDB]

He must think it can get pretty bad if he met with Mulroney. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that meeting.

 

[CDNBear]

He must think it can get pretty bad if he met with Mulroney. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that meeting.

Why? Do you really need tips on how to hide paper bags of cash from the purview of the general public?

 

[JLM]

Why not? Are they any more absurd than any of the other parties? They perform a public service - making people laugh at politics.

I can't remember many of their promises but two do stand out, one was building a bridge to Japan and the other was eliminating mosquitoes! I didn't think we could afford either. :lol:

 

[WLDB]

Remember though, S_lone, some Conservatives (though probably not the majority of them) want Quebec to leave Canada. This could put Harper in a difficult predicament with his voter base if he tries too hard to woo Quebec; he'd be accused of pandering by many on the right of the Conservative Party.

I imagine Harper would have a pretty free hand. The Conservatives need him. There is no obvious successor and he has a firmer hold on the party than any other leader has had on a party in Canada.

 

[Cliffy]

I imagine Harper would have a pretty free hand. The Conservatives need him. There is no obvious successor and he has a firmer hold on the party than any other leader has had on a party in Canada.

Death grip on their testicles?