Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Quebecers want in? Don't vote for the Bloc

Quebecers want in? Don't vote for the Bloc

Finally someone actually speaks truthfully to the people of Quebec:

The Conservatives tried mightily in their first term to win over the Quebec vote. They got parliamentary recognition of Québécois nationhood, they put paid to the alleged fiscal imbalance, they gave Quebec a seat on the Canadian UNESCO delegation and Stephen Harper pointedly spoke French first at every formal public appearance, even abroad. And yet, when the Tories made a relatively piddling cut to arts funding before the last election, Quebec threw a collective hissy fit and gave the Bloc even more seats than before.

The lesson for Quebecers here is that if they don't participate in national affairs through the national parties, their concerns will predictably get short shrift. Bite the hand that reaches out to you too often and the hand will inevitably be withdrawn.

This is the first election in a long time that is actually bringing up this point to the people of Quebec. Let's hope that they listen, or else they may just become as irrelevant as the party they support.


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