Because of the mistakes they’ve been making and Charest hisself has not even made any attempt to negotiate any constitutional demands to the feds. Why? I can take a few guesses. There is no love lost between Steve and himself. Charest is an old hardcore member of Mulroney’s camp. Arguably, he is where he is today because of Mulroney. We remember how Steve threw Brian under the bus. As a matter of fact, many have speculated that he may well be looking to take Steve’s place at the helm. But then, that was before all those scandals hit him over winter and spring. All that to say that negotiations between Charest and Steve would have been an impossibility.

Another reason would be like most Quebecers really believe they already live in a de facto nation anyway, Charest, who was always more of a federalist than his liberal predecessors ever were, probably believed that we were going to remain a part of Canada and in spite of huffing and puffing from Pauline Marois, who I don’ t think many take seriously, anyway, believed that there was nothing left to discuss.

Kind of like that ol’ let sleeping dogs lie kinda thing, isn’t it?

The dogs are awake now and before another train wreck happens, as I’ve mentioned, Duceppe has to outline what a sovereign Quebec would look like.

Unfortunately, nowadays, Duceppe/Marois would be negotiating from a point of weakness.

In fact those in that brigade may want to be careful what they wish for. It may all be more trouble and more expensive for Ottawa and by extension, the other provinces should Quebec be either booted out or leaves by winning result of a referendum.

Remember, usually when a couple married for a long time with kids and many assets; moveable and immoveable; generally, both parties’ standard of living goes down. I think the same would be held true of a Quebec separation.

I think it’s time for Gilles Duceppe to change gears now. Instead of writing letters to world leaders announcing an intent to have a referendum on sovereignty, how’s about he try to outline to Quebecers what a sovereign Quebec would (potentially) look like? That always seems to lack whenever some sovereignty movement breaths life.

“On top of this, Canadians refuse to negotiate with Quebec and reject all compromises in advance”.

Simply stated, the current Charest government has presented no constitutional demands to the government of Canada, nor formulated any for consideration. If it was simply a matter of submitting proposals to the blogging tories, I would agree that anything and everything would be rejected out of hand, but pretensions and delusions aside, those such as “Hunter” do not speak for the rest of Canada.

The Bloc/ PQ do not have solid support, a solid mandate behind them for sovereignty, and will not unless they first gain office and then establish that all attempts at constitutional reform and compromise have been honestly attempted and exhausted. But they have not even made the minimal attempt to formulate demands outside of this “all or nothing” perspective, that is they have concluded the outcome without even making the effort.

This is hardly an honest attempt to set forth perspectives and negotiate in good faith.

Of course, that also means lost seats for Harpercons; such prominent Harpercons like Ex-Lax Max (who I’m sure Steve would like to see gone, anyway) and Lawrence Cannon and Christian Paradis and Bernard Genereux and others.

I posted about Alberta and Quebec and about equalization payments; how vulnerable even mighty Alberta can be, etc. Not sure if you caught it. I’m sure many haven’t. Even if they did, in spite of the links I provided to back up the arguments (which I’m sure not many would bother clicking), it is disregarded.

Are you from Quebec, Dupmar? I noticed you commenting at other blogs; you seem to have an interest and some knowledge. Good for you. I’m always happy to meet bloggers from Montreal or anywhere from Quebec.

you’re right about Pierre-Luc though; he’s from the south shore of Quebec City; lots of rural villages and farm country surrounding it’s ‘capital’ of Levis. Pity, really, he’s so young. When push will finally come to shove; I wonder where his loyalties would lie?

Same would go for that other Francophone Blogging Tory from Rural Quebec; David Chretien (I’m sure no relation to Papa Jean)?.

The part of the story that’s missing is the reaction of the blogging tories, they are wholeheartedly in the Duceppe camp,those addressing the issue in any event, promising Quebecers that even if they are not yet decided and not willing to leave, the blogging tories are eager to boot them out.

For instance, today’s contribution from Climbing Out of the Dark:

“As for the government going in the right direction? Quebec slants the numbers. They are so used to sucking at the governments teat that they just can’t imagine standing up on their own. Good luck with separating, if you don’t want to go, the rest of Canada wants you to leave! I suggest we hold a Canada wide referendum, because socialist Quebec will be booted out of Canada so fast, they won’t know why they were complaining in the first place. Let the whining begin.”

And from similar discussions at Chuckercanuck’s, Iceman’s, Adrian McNair’s blogs, there’s a similar consensus, let’s give Quebec the boot and the sooner the better. Some even want to throw in Newfoundland for good measure. With this kind of a lineup, I think you can reasonably envisage an electoral coalition between the Bloc and the Conservatives with the perspective of closing the curtain on Canada.

This doesn’t surprise me from the Bloc leader, pretty much par for the course for Duceppe, but with all these Leonard Jones speaking out publicly in the name of the Conservatives, advocating the breakup of Canada, they are doing some serious political damage to their party, and their electoral prospects in Quebec and elsewhere, if this continues unchallenged. It hardly jives with the image they seek to project.