With Bill 78, Charest reopens the sovereignty debate
The Montreal Gazette
May 23, 2012
Quebec Premier Jean Charest had his moment – a pretext and a platform, as well as strong popular support, for a firm but fair crackdown on the violence and hooliganism that have wracked Quebec for weeks.
He appears to have squandered the opportunity, overplaying his hand with a vaguely worded emergency law that growing numbers of Quebecers believe was draconian and excessive. One consequence is the rest of Canada, which might have been spared a third round of national-unity wrangling – capping previous outings in 1980 and 1995 – is now back on track for more of the same, in 2014 or so.
Merci, Mr. Charest.
Evidence of the shift in sentiment emerged through the weekend on social media feeds emanating from Quebec City and Montreal.
A cursory read of Bill 78 reveals its architects made a bone-headed mistake: Rather than divide the opposition, isolating thugs and vandals from the mass of protesters, the law pushes them all together, and includes measures that appear to make it illegal to even encourage the striking students, or their representatives.
At a stroke, Charest increased the size of his opposition.
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A speedy return to peace, order and good government might have reinvigorated Charest’s bid to prevent the Parti Québécois, led by Pauline Marois, from retaking power in the election that must be held next year, at the latest.
It might have shifted some attention, too, from the cascade of sensational headlines expected to emerge from the Charbonneau inquiry into corruption in Quebec’s construction industry, which launched Tuesday. And that may yet happen. But given the events of the past five days, it is now far less likely.
The upshot: Marois was, is and will remain the odds-on favourite to be the next premier of Quebec, failing an implosion on her side – with the PQ, one must always hedge. Like so many successful Quebec politicians before her, she is adept at the shilly-shally. Unlike Bernard Landry, who led the party until 2005, she hasn’t called for a new sovereignty referendum immediately upon taking power. Rather, Marois supports something called “sovereignist governance,” and – wait for it – Quebec “citizenship” within Canada, all while awaiting the famous winning conditions. Under premier Pauline Marois, it seems, Quebecers may at long last realize their dream of full independence within a united Canada, with all the advantages conferred by both.
Really, what could be better?
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That sentiment will be strongest in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, net contributors under the current formula. But it will also be resurgent in Ontario, where Main Street long ago lost patience with Quebecers’ ambivalence about the country. It is not only plausible but inevitable that any future Quebec referendum will generate a national debate on whether the province should be allowed to stay. A nationwide referendum on The Question would be the obvious way to settle it.
Given Charest’s continuing struggles, this now rises to the top of the pile as Stephen Harper’s next big headache, and potentially, defining challenge.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news...ignty+debate/6664238/story.html#ixzz1vj3Lo17i