Oh Snap!
It looks like there's a new party sweeping the scene in Quebec. The ADQ have solidified 31.2% of the popular vote (I'm watching the cbc's coverage as I write this) and grasped 42 seats. The Liberal Party as of right now has 46 seats, but Premier Jean Charest has LOST his seat!! All of that hard work the Prime Minister did in gaining Charest's trust and friendship has seemingly gone down the tubes. I presume someone will give up their seat to Charest so he can sit in the legislature, but this is a huge loss for the Quebec Liberals.
It seems that there is a changing tide in Quebec. The people seem to be sick of the same old BS. Could this trend continue into federal politics during the next election? Maybe the Conservatives will be able to get a strong number of Quebecs Parliamentary seats. Reply if you feel obliged to.
It seems that there is a changing tide in Quebec. The people seem to be sick of the same old BS. Could this trend continue into federal politics during the next election? Maybe the Conservatives will be able to get a strong number of Quebecs Parliamentary seats. Reply if you feel obliged to.
posted by abc123 at 7:53 PM
5 Comments:
Well, from what I can tell Charest is still gonna be premier, although he doesn't actually hold a seat...and Quebec doesn't have a senate anymore... Anyone think hes going back into federal politics ?
Liberals 47
Mario Dumot Party (seriously its name is The Democratic Action Party/Mario Dumot Party) with 41.
yee gahds...how the heck did that happen. MDP has never gotten more than five seats ever...now they are the official opposition.
When you think about it, it should be interesting to see how two seperatists parties deal with a federalist government. I would say that they MDP and PQ could get together and form a coalition, but MDP is far right (kinda a Quebec Mike Harris) and PQ is leftish (NDP but seperatist)...I dont think a coalition is gonna happen. Mostly I think a lot of nothing is gonna get done and there is gonna be a lot of money pouring into quebec.
I agree with the sentiments expressed by the other posters; the allocations made in the recently passed budget is partly a campaign tactic. I highly doubt that the monetary promises made in the budget will be kept. Will there be an election based on the momentum of the Quebec?? According to Stephen Harper himself, depsite what his advisors have been telling him, he will not be immeditely calling an election. Harper said that the Canadian people did not elect him to sit around waiting for a good time to call an election, they elected him to make progress and lead the country. So I guess we will have to wait and see how long Harper will hold out.
It's interesting to see a relatively unknown fringe party in the form of the ADQ win so many seats, displace the PQ and become the official opposition in Quebec. CTV news commented that ADQ leader Mario Dumont was glad he didn't win because the ADQ wasn't ready to govern. That's probably right; it would've been worst than when the NDP surprisingly won the 1990 Ontario election. Except in this case, these guys didn't even old official party status. The fact that they could've won is a scary thought.
I think that the ADQ outcome will indeed effect the next federal election to some extent. ADQ focuses on Quebecers being a distinct people; with all people living in Quebec as Quebecers without exception.
It is clear that there is resistance to immigration and cultural diversity (recall the soccer game and the girl with the scarf). ADQ says it has an "openness to the world," but I see this openness as willingness to have immigrants, as long as they join a melting pot, rather than respect diversity. Could these views effect the next election? Yes. The recent census illustrated how much Canada depends on immigrants for maintaining and the growth of the population and I feel the resistance to diversity is much more spread across the nation than just in Quebec.
ADQ Program:
http://adqaction.com/media/ADQ_Program.pdf
Post a Comment
<< Home