I read an article the other day that took my mind back. It had to do with Quebec and the separatist Parti Quebecois. Yes, it’s still around hoping to someday regain power in La Belle province so it can get back to work convincing Quebecers to split from Canada. In the 2022 provincial election the PQ suffered its worst result in history dropping from 10 seats down to 3. Its leader, Paul St Pierre Plamandon, was elected in one of the 3. He’s now saying he’s convinced the PQ can win the 2026 election and, if so, will hold another referendum on separation by 2030. Back in 2003 the Parti Quebecois was in power but lost in a landslide to Jean Charest’s Liberals. The PQ had former leader Jacque Parizeau do some campaigning. He was the one who in 1995 said it was “money and ethnic votes” that lost the PQ that referendum. That statement haunted him the rest of his life and today’s leader of the Parti Quebecois says things like staying part of the “federal regime” means Quebec is done for because our federal government poses an “existential threat” against Quebecers. To convince voters to hand the reins back to the PQ in 2026 would be an astronomical accomplishment but you know what they say, hope springs eternal. On a side note, if next-door neighbour Alberta’s premier keeps picking fights with the feds will we begin to wonder if it isn’t her aim to make Alberta a sovereign country as well? Perhaps she’ll cool her jets if the Conservatives win the next federal election.
That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.