Charest delivers!

Jean Charest wrestled a majority in the National Assembly today. What conclusions can we draw?

1. Support for Pauline Marois' Parti Quebecois has not waned. Conclusion: whetever happens, PQ support is unshakable.
2. Dumont is off the map. Populism doesn't fly in QC. Neither did a local Conservative Party.
3. The sitting government wins during a recession. Conclusion: Charest is a good friend to have.

With this in mind, I believe the (sadly not may) Tories in Quebec should rally behind the one party that can unite the anti-PQ vote and deliver something resembling brindled capitalism to the province. If we are to bring about a paradigm shift in Quebec while keeping the province safely out of sovereignist hands we should work with the LPQ and through policy and initiatives blend moderate Tory and libertarian ideas into LPQ platforms.

I strongly urged my friends to vote LPQ, and I am thus very happy for a federalist majority government in Quebec City.

Does anyone like election spoofs?

Campaign signs and slogans are so bland there's barely anything to spoof. But this one was begging for it!

No referendum, huh?

Pauline Marois wants the PQ to abandon its referendum pledge for the time being. Unsurprizing.

Having realized the continued impunity with which Quebec can pursue its most questionable discriminatory objectives through indiscriminate (pardon the pun) use of the notwithstanding clause and provincial prerogative, Pauline Marois is contemplating maintaining the status quo.

Why? My guess is Madame Marois has the wonderful idea of continuing to wrestle with Ottawa, claim more and more prerogative, continue applying or proposing her insane policies such as the law on Quebec citizenship without the province being hailed before an international body and held accountable for its despicable course. In its perverseness, the current situation allows Quebec's harassment of English speakers and potentially many other categories to be shielded from global ridicule by the cover of the Canadian umbrella and the notwithstanding clause. Smart as she undoubtedly is, Marois has all the interest in preserving Quebec in Canada in order to continue scaring us with insane legislation without fear of reprisal and build up the party's support base.

Marois' stance on pushing the referendum back in the priority list is a decoy, and everyone knows it. Except Dion, of course, who appears to contemplate an independent Quebec sometime:

In Ottawa, of all places, Marois's plan received a somewhat more favourable
reception.
"I think it's a good move," Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion told
reporters after a caucus meeting.
"I think a responsible secessionist leader should not rush to a referendum, should first build strong support, a clear majority for separation and once it's done, it's time to go to a referendum."

Referendum time has passed, people don't want to leave Canada. Unless Dion wants more businesses to move to Toronto his remarks are a destruction of his credibility as a federalist. If he were a chameleon I'd say this time he's shown his true colour.