So, today Quebec is going to the polls. And nobody knows whats going to happen. I mean, all three parties are polling within the margin of error. A statistical tie! Incredible. But who would be best for the country (oops, I almost wrote “nation”) or for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Now, I know it seems incredibly cynical, but whenever the Tories say or do something good I think, in the space of a second, “That sounds good!” and “Oh, Crap.” So, what is a die-hard partisan to do. Well, I suppose the best thing to do would be to put the country first. However, a close second would be to take the route of Mr. Harper and the gang, and denounce all the good programs, cancel them, and then bring them back in a different form. (Except the Tory form is worse, not because they weren’t Liberal programs, but because those programs don’t come with the same funding as before. Canada Summer Jobs comes to mind.)
I think that devolution of power, the brand of federal governance that the federal conservatives are espousing, is dangerous and sets a troublesome precedent. Canada must exist as a strong federal state to ensure the national unity, and the inherent benefits of that confederation, is not diminished, and subsequently degrade us into a loosely organized array of bickering republics to the north of the continental United States. Harper seems to want to move our proud country in that direction, and the only way he can do this is with Quebec, the ‘thin end of the wedge’ if you would. Now, I hate to say it, but there is only one thing that will prevent us from starting down the path to devolution and disintegration. That thing is a PQ victory.
How will Harper work to break up the country (which is, mind you, exactly what he is trying to do) if there is a PQ government. If he did, he’d loose all the seats he has in Quebec, and many of the gains in Ontario, and even in the west (we don’t much cotton to leaders who want to end our nation). So, a PQ government will help save the country, because it will not be a majority and there will not be another referendum, and it will prevent the disintegration of confederation.
Now, is this the best thing for the LPC? Yes, because we get one giant gift from a PQ victory. The “Harper Can’t Do National Unity” card. And that card will be invaluable during the next election. So, while I won’t cheer for the Pequites, because a federalist could never do that, I think that there is some solace in what could be their victory.
Too Much Geography 