- Duceppe Makes it Easier for Liberals

comment on: "Separatism is back at forefront, Duceppe tells party meeting", February 01, 2009, Karine Fortin
http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/580512


So too Harper and the Conservatives have “moved away” from their right wing extremist political ideology to that of a more Liberal approach. So too Duceppe and the Block a few years ago moved away from their sovereignist position to that of “what’s best for Quebec” and now are moving back to a sovereignist position. They both do it for the same reason, to hold onto power. It is interesting to note that apparently Duceppe is not taking the position that separation from Canada is “what’s best for Quebec” – if he is it wasn’t reported in this article.

Whether one likes it or not the Block represent a very large percentage of the people of Quebec and no one has the right to disenfranchise them except the people who vote for them. Fortunately for Michael Ignatieff and the Liberals, Duceppe has just made it easier to do this. By Harper and the Con’s disenfranchising rhetoric in December Quebecers are likely to turn away from that party in the next Federal election. The trend in Quebec in the last few years has been away from separatists. I am not sure that a recession would change that. Duceppe is a smart politician and one can only wonder if he knows something others don’t. But, it appears he is deliberately distancing his party from the Liberals thus widening the gap and making it easier for people to vote Liberal in the next Federal election. Harper and the Con’s have developed the biggest propaganda machine experienced in any Western democracy in recent years and will, obviously, torque it up that the Block are separatists and they single handedly saved Canada.

However, the truly scary thought is that had it not been the Liberals receiving the support of Duceppe and the Block, as well as the NDP, in forcing the Conservatives to real action we would all be facing this economic tsunami without any action by our Federal government. Certainly in so doing Duceppe has done far more to keep Canada and nation together than Harper and the Con’s.


Lloyd MacIlquham