Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

‘In Quebec it is not that big a deal’

by Aaron Wherry on Thursday, August 4, 2011 4:20pm - 18 Comments

Francois-Pierre Gingras defends Nycole Turmel’s sovereignist associations.

“It will make a good number of Canadians itchy, but in Quebec it is not that big a deal,” he said. “In the case of Quebec, provincial nationalism permeates politics. Almost every party for the last 50 to 75 years has been nationalist one way or another. Nationalist doesn’t necessarily mean in favour of independence, it means in favour of [Quebecers].”

This is similar to the argument our own Martin Patriquin made yesterday.

Tags: Bloc Québécois, Francois-Pierre Gingras, NDP, Nycole Turmel, Québec solidaire, sovereignists, Sovereignty

More by Aaron Wherry

AVR

That Quebecers of all parties see nothing wrong with demands that come at the expense of every other province, backed by nothing more than pure old-fashioned chauvinism is, in fact, the problem. Kudos to Turmel for inadvertently making that clearer to the rest of Canada.

Anonymous

I see we’re back to traditional Con Quebec bashing.
Anonymous

AVR you said Quebecers but unfortunately it would equally apply to all Candians.

That Canadians of all parties see nothing wrong with demands that come at the expense of every other province, backed by nothing more than pure old-fashioned chauvinism is, in fact, the problem

I think of Newfoundland asking that the equalization formula not include their oil revenues. Or Saskatchewan asking that the Canadian government say no to foreign investment regarding the Potash deal. Or Alberta asking that government do nothing to comply with the Kyoto accord. Or BC refusing to agree to a national securities regulator unless the HQ is in Vancouver.

Unfortunately, provincial interests top national priorities.
Anonymous

AVR you said Quebecers but unfortunately it would equally apply to all Candians.

That Canadians of all parties see nothing wrong with demands that come at the expense of every other province, backed by nothing more than pure old-fashioned chauvinism is, in fact, the problem

I think of Newfoundland asking that the equalization formula not include their oil revenues. Or Saskatchewan asking that the Canadian government say no to foreign investment regarding the Potash deal. Or Alberta asking that government do nothing to comply with the Kyoto accord. Or BC refusing to agree to a national securities regulator unless the HQ is in Vancouver.

Unfortunately, provincial interests top national priorities.

Anonymous

Nope, not a big deal, and that’s where her riding is….so everyone else needs to unknot their knickers and move on.
Anonymous

Harper made them a nation, and they’re behaving like one – didn’t they realize it was just a token gesture to garner a few votes?

Anonymous

I think it’s funny that in response to a quote about a particular streak of self-serving nationalism permeating Quebec politics for the last 50 or 75 years, you blame Harper. Is there anything that Harper can’t be blamed for?

Anonymous

He didn’t shoot J.R.

Anonymous

that you found out about.

Anonymous

Are you suggesting that Kristin Shepard was secretly Stephen Harper in disguise, or that J.R. was shot some other time by Stephen Harper and we just never heard about that incident?
Anonymous

What is wrong with you? He was J.R.! He lived in Texas! And you think he only got shot once???!!!
Anonymous

@2Jenn:disqus

He’s J.R. Ewing!!!

Would you take a shot at him and risk not killing him???

Anonymous

It may not be a big deal in Quebec, but it could significantly hurt the NDP in British Columbia, a traditional centre of strength. Their core vote split in the ’90′s, going to the Reform Party and then CA when the NDP appeared to be catering to everyone but blue-collar workers. If it appears the new NDP is a more ideological left-wing Quebec-based party, rather than a populist voice for the “little guy”, they risk losing that vote again. The NDP already face a challenge with their position on whether BC should get its proper representation by population in the Commons. Becoming too identified with Quebec-brand issues will be a further danger for them.

Anonymous

The next election isn’t for 4 years

Anonymous

In four years it is very probable no one will remember who the interim leader of the NDP had been in 2011. This little contretemps is simply an illustration of the complexities the NDP will face in dealing with the fact it is no longer an exclusively anglophone party. The same type of issue will face whoever the leader is in future. This incident isn’t, but itself, significant.
Anonymous

In four years it is very probable no one will remember who the interim leader of the NDP had been in 2011. This little contretemps is simply an illustration of the complexities the NDP will face in dealing with the fact it is no longer an exclusively anglophone party. The same type of issue will face whoever the leader is in future. This incident isn’t, but itself, significant.

Anonymous

Agreed, she’ll be long forgotten.

Parties have problems all the time, but I’m sure that with 4 years to go before an election, they’ll sort it out.