In the dying weeks of the federal election campaign, the Quebec separatists are stomping through their baboon dance routines, arrogantly pounding their chests and proudly declaring exactly how they will tear Canada apart.
It will be easy they say. Just elect lots of separatists to the federal Parliament then follow up by defeating the provincial Liberals replacing them with Parti Quebecois and voilá; you have the keys to separation.
Meanwhile, that self-proclaimed newspaper of national importance, The Globe and Mail, is lamenting the fact that Conservative leader Stephen Harper is talking about the dangers of Quebec separation.
The media and most politicians, of course, do not like the separation word; they prefer the soothing sound of sovereignty and sovereignist. It just doesn’t grate on the ear as bad as separation and separatists. We wouldn’t want to offend them now, would we? Just ask Justin Trudeau.
Personally I think it’s about time Canadians were lulled out of their sense of security that the separatists in our Parliament and those deeply entrenched in Quebec politics can somehow be appeased, accommodated even placated. If he was alive, Britain’s Neville Chamberlain could tell you all about that.
The federal Liberals under Jean Chretien even thought he could advertise the separatists out of existence by shovelling under-the-table money into the bank accounts of Quebec advertising agencies that took the cash but produced no advertising. That was okay with Liberals because they thought they bought off the right people.
And even while the separatists are howling out their prognostications of success by electing more Bloc Quebecois MPs to parliament and wresting power from the provincial Liberals, we have some media decrying the fact our prime minister is talking about it.
Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail earnestly reminds it readers that all three parties played footsy with the separatists in the last and previous Parliaments.
That’s true. But what is different today is that both the Liberals and the NDP have signed an agreement actually inviting them into playing an active role in government. If you go back to the numbers in the last Parliament you will discover the separatists would have enjoyed basking in the limelight of veto power.
That would mean Canada would have politicians with the avowed intention of destroying the country participating in lawmaking, budgeting and all other aspects of running a country and making policy that is supposed be for the national good.
Ignatieff and Layton appear quite confident the separatists would do the right thing for the rest of Canada. Ya, right. Have you followed the hysteria being fomented in Quebec this past weekend by Gilles Duceppe and Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois?
While Mssrs. Ignatieff and Layton are attempting to play down their deal with the devil and whining about Mr. Harper stomping on democracy, watch out for the Duceppe-Marois team. If you think the rights of English speaking Quebecers were trampled down over language the first time around, just watch their second act. If this sounds like fear mongering, it probably is.
It doesn’t take much in this country to be plastered with the dear-mongering label. Here is what appeared in today’s (April 18/11) edition of the G&M compliments of reporter John Ibbotson.
“Mr. Harper is now making fear of an unstable Liberal-led minority government the dominant theme of campaign-rally speeches. And he has started to add national unity as another reason for voters to shun such a government.” So by talking about national unity, Mr. Harper is fear mongering. Way to go John Ibbotson.
I have to wonder to what lengths the Liberals and NDP will go to appease the separatists? What will be the price we pay to have the Liberals sharing power with the separatists and the NDP?
So when you hear Mr. Ignatieff steadfastly deny he has any intention of co-operating with the separatists in the next Parliament, you can be certain just the opposite is true.
When the irresistible carrot of power is dangled in the front of the Liberal leader by the separatists, you can be sure he will take the biggest bite he can, all for the sake of national unity, of course.
Let the salivating begin.
Bill now devotes his time to his media/communications consulting firm while fighting for time to pursue freelance writing assignments, promote television projects and create the odd movie script.
