tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post2161126095550271560..comments2023-11-02T05:16:59.191-04:00Comments on Briques du Neige: In the land of the PuppetmasterOlmanFeelyushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post-69859504455632844792008-12-07T10:19:00.000-05:002008-12-07T10:19:00.000-05:00I can't even go near those editorials. They'll ma...I can't even go near those editorials. They'll make me spas out too much.OlmanFeelyushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post-54934864393192173312008-12-06T17:54:00.000-05:002008-12-06T17:54:00.000-05:00André Pratte of La Presse is denying there was suc...André Pratte of La Presse is denying there was such a thing as Québec Bashing from the conservative. Spector agrees. I am, well, stunned by such an open display of denial.<BR/><BR/>http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/editorialistes/andre-pratte/200812/05/01-807861-ou-ca-du-quebec-bashing.php<BR/><BR/>http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081206.WBSpector20081206084902/WBStory/WBSpector/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post-6542906009307956922008-12-05T13:20:00.000-05:002008-12-05T13:20:00.000-05:00Re: Harper gains... I'm somewhat pessimistic. Look...Re: Harper gains... I'm somewhat pessimistic. Looking at the latest Ekos poll, giving Harper 44% of popular support across Canada...<BR/><BR/>Say Québec is 23% of the population. So the 20% the PCC gets here amounts to 4.6 (lets say 5)% of that 44% figure. So, to put it bluntly, Harper is scoring 39/77 in the ROC. 50% flat. And that may very well be more than that. How many of these 233 seats can he get with 50% support? If they have half a brain, they will take the separatist bashing hardline to Québec, anglo-Québec that is. They could then deal à vicious blow to the LPC and get way more seats without pouring resources in already lost fights in french Québec.<BR/><BR/>Another thing: The Internet is the big difference here. You watch late night news on the french network, and they are relating what this and that paper over there in the west has been saying. They have youtube clips of people saying stupid stuff...<BR/><BR/>The point is: Quebecers speak english and they are now watching what is being said about them in the ROC. The ROC mostly doesn't speak french and is thus somewhat oblivious to a potential backlash in Québec. That being said, the CBC are obviously aware of what this means to quebecers and are trying to make it known. Kudos to them.<BR/><BR/>But still, this stinks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8777096.post-53341403230872787592008-12-05T12:05:00.000-05:002008-12-05T12:05:00.000-05:00Few people outside Quebec have much regard for the...Few people outside Quebec have much regard for the Bloc's position on Quebec sovereignty, but let's take a closer look. Whether you agree with it or not (and I certainly do not), sovereigntists have a legitimate political view, which is that Quebec should be its own nation, given, inter alia, its unique history, culture and demography. In a free and democratic society, just how should we expect people interested in self-determination to express it? We would certainly condemn violence at any level, which has been a common approach of many such movements around the world. We would, and should, encourage them to exercise their views democratically. Like it or not, exercising free speech and expressing their views at the ballot box are the most democratic ways available to them to advance their cause. That does not mean that we need to agree with them: I assert that Quebec is most welcome in, and benefits from being a part of, Canada. Should the many people in Quebec who have chosen to express their views in this way be disenfranchised? Should we say to them -- your votes don't count because we don't agree with your views? Should we not allow their democratically-chosen representatives to have the right to act on their behalf? What option(s) do we leave them if we do? <BR/><BR/>Does anybody remember that pesky regional party of the west called the Reform Party? The present Conservative party is no more than a "coalition" of the former Conservative and Reform parties, and I assure you that there remain a healthy number of separatists amongst that lot.<BR/><BR/>Although Harper and the Conservatives have shown that they are only to willing to deal with the devil if it is in their self-interest, they have, in the despicable and disreputable fashion with is the nature of their political discourse, vilified the Bloc and most Quebecers. Little in the interest of national unity, or progress for the Conservative party in Quebec (thankfully), is to be gained by such slander, and I'm confident we'll see the implications of this in the provincial election results next week, and in the next federal election. I think that whatever gains Harper may have made in Ontario and the west will be countered there.Castawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01050405445562700994noreply@blogger.com