According to Thomas Mulcair, the recently crowned federal NDP leader, the fact that Prime Minister Stephen Harper would consult former Tory prime minister Brian Mulroney about Quebec, proves how little he understands that province.
Think about that for a moment on this Canada Day weekend.
Does Mulcair truly think Harper consulting the prime minister who won the greatest election victory in Canada's history -- 211 of 282 Commons' seats -- is a gesture of ignorance? Or is he fearful that it was a shrewd ploy by Harper to regain support in Quebec?
I'd argue the latter. And I'd also argue that Mulcair's apparently dismissive remarks are evidence of his concern about his own fate in the next federal election.
Harper's Conservatives won their first majority in the last federal election
without support from Quebec, where the NDP thrashed and trashed the other parties --
especially the Liberals and Bloc -- and became the official opposition for the first (and perhaps last?) time in Canada's history.
Next time round it is inevitable that the NDP will lose seats in Quebec, most likely to the Bloc Quebecois. There is little Mulcair can do to stop this from happening, but he is trying mightily to curb a drain-off.
He's managed to alienate the west with criticisms of Alberta and oil production and environmental issues -- all in hope of shoring up support in Quebec.
Mulcair is no dummy, and knows that the huge NDP win in Quebec in the last election (59 of 75 seats -- the Liberals got seven) is credited to the late Jack Layton, so any drop in seats in the next election will be blamed on him. Not fair, not correct, but inevitable. That's politics, that's reality.
Harper taking some 18 cabinet ministers into Quebec for St-Jean-Baptiste Day
celebrations, and declaring that his government can work with a Parti Quebecois provincial government, is little more than good sense, good politics and good news.
Of course the federal government will work with whatever party forms a provincial government. So it should.
Quebeckers have proven they are not puppets of any party. Sure, they do what they can to gain concessions from Ottawa, and are not loath to try blackmailing the federal government for benefits. And they succeed more than any party or any other province.
But they all try it, and tend to resent Quebec for being better at it than most.
Quebeckers, too, must realize that Canada (and Quebec) are blessed with a federal government that has contributed to Canada being the most blessed developed country in the world, at a time when economic and social woes wrack Europe and threaten the U.S.
Harper is legitimately worried about the turmoil and collapse of euro currency in Europe affecting Canada. As an economist, he is more alert to dangers than other politicians. And all this is good luck for our country.
The Liberals are soon to choose a leader -- another bid for charisma that they hope won't explode in their faces as previous choices have. And Mulcair is always a time-bomb, which is both part of his appeal and his vulnerability.
So Harper wooing Quebec is reasonable and reassuring -- on condition that he doesn't get swept away by generosity, and give away the store.
Quebec gave Harper five seats in 2011 -- but gave Mulroney 58 seats in 1984. Harper would be nuts not to consult Brian on future prospects.
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Harper's only chance at re-election is not winning quebec's votes but losing them to the point Quebec leaves or is kicked out.
It will take more than a few barbecues to overcome that. NDP support has actually increased in Quebec since the last election. The esteemed Mr. Worthington writes of the last federal election in "Quebec, where the NDP thrashed and trashed the other parties --especially the Liberals and Bloc". Perhaps he should remember that least popular were the conservatives.
The conservatives have already lost the "tug of war" in Quebec to the NDP. By a country mile. And what it would take to overcome that would never fly elsewhere in Canada. At a time where NDP support is also on the rise in English Canada, the conservatives can't afford to antagonize their anti-Quebec segment by appearing to make concessions to Quebec, especially with a possible PQ government.
celebrations, and declaring that his government can work with a Parti Quebecois provincial government, is little more than good sense, good politics and good news."
Um, good news for who? The leader of the PQ was happy her party was being taken seriously. Others thought it was a little premature since an election hasn't even been called yet. Recent polls show Charest is doing better, a little ahead of the PQ, although winning a 4th election in a row will obviously be a challenge.
Most Canadians, let alone most Quebecers, do not feel "blessed" by the Harper Government.
"As an economist, he is more alert to dangers than other politicians. And all this is good luck for our country."
But what has Harper done with this so called knowledge? His fiscal management of Canada has been bungling at best, budgeting is a farce, and every time one turned arounds there is another example of waste or a breach of the Governments fiduciary responsibilities.
This Worthington post is yet another piece of Conservative propaganda. Mr. Worthington I say that your statement that "As an economist, he is more alert to dangers than other politicians. And all this is good luck for our country." is bogus.
Now if Harper had consulted David Suzuki, Mulcair might have reason to be worried about the Quebec vote.
If its all about Jack Layton why is the NDP still kicking so much derri? in the polls?