Thursday, April 3, 2014

Liberals to Form Majority Government

Quebec's soon to be 31st Premier
Over the years I've conducted private polls for various candidates that I organized for.
These are the famous 'internal' polls that we all hear about but know nothing about. I always found that my polling was in fact more accurate because we used experienced callers doing the questioning and spent quite a lot of time qualifying respondents as to their real intention to vote.
My polling was always restricted to a single riding so getting a sample that was representative was the key, making sure that the different neighbourhoods in the riding were represented equally and that language and religious demographics were respected.
Our questions were different than what regular pollsters ask, because fisrt things first, we wanted voting patterns from only those who would vote.
So our first question qualified whether or not that person was likely to vote, if not, we moved along to the next voter.
The people who ask the questions, get a sense of what they are hearing after a night of perhaps 50 phone calls and interpreting the data is more than just counting up answers.

At any rate, polling has actually lost accuracy over the years, for a variety of reasons, with the major polling firms usually under-reporting the more conservative choice, this across Canada and highlighted in several other provincial elections.

This under-reporting happened in both of the last provincial elections in Quebec where the Liberals garnered more support then the pollsters gave them credit for.
However that being said, the numbers being reported now are so stark that the Liberals cannot help but win a healthy majority government this time around.

All this of course contingent on the fact that the polls are relatively accurate. Always a big IF.

I've done my own analysis, using a methodology I made, developed  and adapted by myself.
First I calculated the difference in support between the final election results in 2012 and the latest polling data avaiable.


In any given riding one can assume that with all things being equal, the votes each party received in 2012 can be adjusted up or down by the percentage change attributed to each party in the table above.

For example, if the PQ got 10,000 votes in a certain riding, they could reasonably expect to get about 9,000, or about 10% less as indicated in the table above.

As for the Liberals, the calculation has to be massaged a bit, because their support has gone way up in the franophone ridings and not neccessarily in English ridings where the support was very high to begin with. You wouldn't expect the Liberal vote total to go up substantially in a West Montreal riding, because the number is so high to begin with.
For this reason, I'm artificially boosting the 26% increase to 28% in francophone ridings, to more accurately reflect reality.
As for the CAQ and QS, the criteria remains the same as the PQ.

Of course one has to make adjustments in certain races where new candidates who come into the race, and change the dynamic like Pierre-Karl Péladeau. All this of course is subjuctive, until specific numbers are examined within the riding.
A case in point is Francois Legault, which most polls show him running behind. Somehow I don't think he'll be defeated, it's sometimes just a gut feeling.

Here's how ThreehundredEight.com sees it;



At any rate, given all that and applying my methodology to the 125 ridings across Quebec, I've come up with my own projection, based on yesterdays poll numbers.
After reading a local article about Nicolet riding and a late poll there, I'm revising the numbers below by adding one more seat to the Liberals (75) and subtracting another from the PQ. (38)



It's fun to stick out your neck with a prediction, I've had a reasonable batting average this year in that respect and so if I'm wrong, well.......

At any rate, I don't want to say I told you so, but I've always warned that Quebec elections swing widely and quickly.
Calling elections because of favourable numbers instead of an impelling reason is often a recipe for disaster.

Let us remember that Francois Legault of the CAQ practically begged Pauline to work something out over the Charter in order to avoid an election.

Even Charter hardliners who wanted the law passed 'as is' were willing to put a little water in their wine in order to get it done.
But Drainville convinced the party that an election could be won over the divisive issue and led the party down the garden path to electoral oblivion.

There's going to be a lot of acrimony over the debacle and a lot of finger pointing, followed by the traditional jockeying for position.

For me the interesting thing to watch is PKP, a cruel fate to be elected to four years of obscurity.  His performance this election was dismal and the bloom is definately off his apple. I'm not sure he is even leader material and the PQ knives may very well be out for him as well.
Perhaps PKP is hoping that he will actually lose is election in St. Jerome.
The  PQ will have some big decisions to make, especially when it comes to sovereignty and referendums.
Is it time to admit the truth that sovereignty is no longer a viable option and re-orient the party?

Hmm... time will tell.

In the meantime, I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying watching these last days, with the axe about to fall on the PQ who are on their way to their just desserts.

Dead men walking.....



235 comments:

  1. Too bad news like this doesn't trigger a separatist exodus...

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    1. They're trapped here with nowhere else to go, poor things.

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    2. At the start of this election campaign I said there were only two possible outcomes: a PQ majority or PQ minority.

      I knew a month was a long time, and anything could happen in that time span, but who would think things would literally turn upside down, a completely flip flop! Well, same prediction from me, just replace "PQ" with "Liberal" (yep, despite polls, I still think we could see a minority government). I wonder though, could there be enough of a vote split to give the PQ a minority? Seems less likely as we get closer to April 7th, but who knows...bizarre surprises can happen on election day.

      All I do know is how badly the PQ has blundered in this campaign. You couldn't orchestrate this kind of failure if you tried to deliberately derail the election! It started with Peladeau and just snowballed from there, incident and incident, like they were trying to lose.

      You'll have to forgive me though about not being as optimistic about the editor's prediction. Even if the PQ drop to 46 to 39 seats, that is still a LOT of seats and basically a party in waiting....waiting to return to power. Let's see the PQ drop down to 3 or 9 seats, then I'll cheer. Wishful dreaming of course but that would signal some hope for change, wouldn't it.

      ...Right now I just see this going round and round like a merry go round in hell: PLQ, PQ, PLQ, PQ, PLQ, PQ, PLQ...when will it ever stop?

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    3. "Too bad news like this doesn't trigger a separatist exodus..."

      Maybe they'll finally go back to France this time!

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    4. “PLQ, PQ, PLQ, PQ, PLQ, PQ, PLQ...when will it ever stop?”

      That’s like asking “Democrats, Republicans, Democrats, Republicans… when will it ever stop?” or “Liberals, Conservatives, Liberals, Conservatives… when will it ever stop?”. The answer is “probably never”.

      Your vote for the Green Party is utterly useless, by the way.

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    5. That’s like asking “Democrats, Republicans, Democrats, Republicans… when will it ever stop?” or “Liberals, Conservatives, Liberals, Conservatives… when will it ever stop?”. The answer is “probably never”.

      Not comparable in the least. The Parti Quebecois equates republicans? HAH. This is a party dedicated to the destruction of Canada, while oozing with racist beliefs, xenophobia, hate and discrimination. They believe in a superior race of white, Catholic and French persons, with the ultimate goal of expulsion of those who do not fit that description (i.e. what you were born is held against you).

      Furthermore the norm in Quebec was formerly something more of the status quo we'd see in other provinces. Liberals, Union Nationale, Liberals, Union Nationale. To my knowledge, the UN did not stand for those PQ values I stated above.

      "Your vote for the Green Party is utterly useless, by the way."

      Not to me it isn't, and it's better than spoiling my ballet or not voting at all out of apathy. As I said earlier, it's the ONLY party who openly states they're against the Quebec Charter of Values and not endorsing Bill 101 and other hate laws.

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    6. I'm with you Apple - we need to see the total end of the PQ party for this province to get back to what we consider "normal" politics - left, right, centre politics.

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    7. "This is a party dedicated to the destruction of Canada, while oozing with racist beliefs, xenophobia, hate and discrimination. They believe in a superior race of white, Catholic and French persons, with the ultimate goal of expulsion of those who do not fit that description (i.e. what you were born is held against you)"

      I agree with Apple 100% here! and also agree that the damage done by them already is immeasurable. They have given, provided permission for the regular citizen to act as racist and as xenophobic as they have behaved, AND, other than this being totally irresponsible governance, this is criminal governance, they should all be sued and prosecuted for their shear bad intention and malevolence. Decent an honorable people want no part of it.

      To the Minister for Anglo Montreal: You called Canada is a failed country, but the truth is that only a person as failed and flawed as you would stoop to the lowest depths of cruelty and indecency to obtain an empty and futile "dream". This was completely personal and that is why it is unforgivable. You deserve to be deported, the lot of you, pond scum. And btw, you can tell your mother, she failed too.

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    8. These things can matter to me as much as you.

      Don't let people get you down, though! Stay positive and warm-hearted in the face of negativity and cold-heartedness. Otherwise we're letting the bullies drag us down with them.

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  2. As much as I'm enjoying seein the PQ going down, I want it to be over.
    Every day PQ sinks, it still does some damage that will have to be repaired.
    And just want to see the confirmation that we're done with them.

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    1. "Desperate Pauline Marois makes surprise promise to cut taxes — as soon as PQ balances Quebec budget"

      http://bit.ly/1fQnc9r

      Hoho!

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    2. Hey! Whoa! That's not an unreasonable promise! In fact, we should automatically know what that means since the PQ has/had zero intention of balancing the budget.

      All she's saying is taxes in Quebec will be cut when pigs could fly! You make the judgment.

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  3. This week's Ipsos poll had an interesting breakdown for voters in the 18-34 age bracket:
    Lib - 39%
    QS - 23%
    CAQ - 18%
    PQ - 16%
    In other words, the PQ is the least popular party in the province among young voters. Increasingly, they seem to be the party of crotchety old ladies who are afraid that foreign... um, I mean, rich McGill students, are going to take over their swimming pools.

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    1. It gets even worse for the PQ the younger you go, see the results of Francoophone High School mock polls, it does not end well for the PQ!:

      http://tinyurl.com/kv3cfpz

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    2. Now you see why owning and controlling access to media is so important to quebecers.

      They can;t control the narrative so the next generation to learn the same insane anti democratic thinking as the old guard.

      Lets just call it youtube education for young Quebecers.

      On one side the PQ govt rewrites the history books for students to introduce hatred of Canada, immigrants, anglophones, indians etc. They just introduced more money to waste on this masturbation.

      On the other you have kids browsing the internet, watching whatever crap they fancy themselves. Much of it made who knows where in the world. Often it's a kid in Italy or Korea speaking English doing something in a video, explaining something.

      They realize they can do this. There is no fear. To get any market on the internet it needs to be in English or Chinese.

      This totally undermines the standard indoctrination plan for the kids.

      The PQ will have to plan to control the internet. Perhaps videotron and the govt can come up with a plan to block parts of the internet and replace it with Quebecor "independent" content.

      Much like how we get blackouts on TV shows or we see Canadian super bowl ads instead of US ads.

      Unfortunately for democracy controlling the internet only takes a couple weeks of consultants.

      It will take decades for these kids to grow up to replace the old stock nutters and their way of thinking.

      There are thousands of more FTQ Rambo out there.

      The fact Montreal is crumbling into construction hell and the workers only work 7 to 3 M-F.

      They should break the union contracts and get people who want to work. Fill the other 2 shifts with normal non rambo types. Paid a couple dollars more per hour on night shift, not insane inflated fees we can;t afford so they don;t work.

      Quebec basically can;t afford to pay the insane union contacts so we can;t afford to fix thing fast enough so that we don;t fall apart.

      There is enough work for generations of lazy FTQ union workers to do no-show.

      Lets just make a deal they don;t have to show up to start with. Retire the entire union. Pay them off to retire now. Every one of them.

      Start the whole contruction industry again with new workers and contracts.

      "Les Quebecois" can all retire to country homes somewhere, ie leave Montreal.

      Anybody that signs up for lifetime retirement and then wants to work, loses benefits. Anybody that works under the table loses benefits and get sued for all back payments.

      Provide RCMP protection at work sites at Decarie etc. Quebec law enforcement is currently too sympathetic to the FTQ. They will go on break as the goons arrive.

      Meanwhile as everybody sits in traffic for hours per day think of the union guys standing there. They are waiting for the guy who is authorized to use the shovel or ladder to show up.

      It's not their job.

      This is encouraged and legally allowed behavior. Then they go home at 3 pm. Almost nothing got accomplished.

      Codierre needs to get shit thats important done. We don;t care what union rules it st fucking nowhere are. Rebuilding roads from 7-3 M-F make sense in Charlevoix but not in Montreal.

      In Montreal on the Island we need 24x7 construction. We need it most importantly when the citizens are ASLEEP and not when they are trying to commute.

      Grow up, be a real city for once not on the leash of Quebecois thinking.

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    3. n Montreal on the Island we need 24x7 construction. We need it most importantly when the citizens are ASLEEP and not when they are trying to commute.

      Grow up, be a real city for once not on the leash of Quebecois thinking.


      24hrs a day construction is a great idea.

      Not sure we will agree on classifying "quebec thinking" however we both can cheer on improving and reclaiming Montreal from sinking any further. Terrific city with wonderful gifts to offer to so many.

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  4. Anyone else feeling nostalgic? Elections coming up, student protests, corruption scandals, civil unrest... We truly are re-living the glory days.

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  5. I’m sure S.R has been absent because he’s busy rehearsing his tired old overused cliché: “Ce n’est que partie remise.” (“It is but a postponement.”)

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  6. It's time to pop the champagne!

    Goodbye PQ,QS, Mohammad and S.R!

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    1. Anonymous Buster of Shit ArgumentsFriday, April 4, 2014 at 6:16:00 AM EDT

      No, John.

      While I hope for the same outcome, the rule is, until the ceasefire is called on the night of April 7th, your troops have to keep their arms trained on the opposing trench. No partying beforehand.

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    2. Oh brother..celebrating even before the election results. I would be very cautious of the cheering..polls can be totally wrong sometimes..yes the odds are high the Liberals win..but I am not totally convinced they will win a majority. If they win a minority then we are back here in 2-3 years and my guess is the Liberals will not win the next election. By then interest rates will rise, the debt will rise, the real estate bubble in canada will be well into correction mode - it means a lot of unhappy quebecers.

      And another 2-4 years of the Liberals and you are all rejoicing. What have the Liberals done for Quebec over the past few decades..they added much of the debt we have. They do little to support the anglophone community other than not talkng about seperation. it doesnt matter what leader the Liberals have..it always ends the same..more mismanagement..more debt..more crumbling infrastructure..more of the same crap that has led Quebec to the brink.

      I am not celebrating..we are back to square one..where we were 2 years ago..a party that was in charge while rampant corruption was ongoing..where were they..were they sleeping?

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    3. Copy that.
      I fail to see much "victory" in a Liberal win. However, I still believe, however naively, that people make differences. Perhaps Couillard could make for a change-making, transformative Premier, against all odds and expectations. On verra.

      Honestly let's jsut having a freaknig third referendum and move on from this stagnancy. It's tiresome to "cheer on" the PQ and the PLQ Turnstile Campaigns!

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    4. @Complicated :

      Michael Den Tandt: Call in the undertaker, Quebec separatism is dead
      So in a sense, this campaign was the third referendum. And the people have spoken.
      http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/04/04/michael-den-tandt-call-in-the-undertaker-quebec-separatism-is-dead/

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    5. Engrossing reading. Optimistic, also (for me or for other federalists, maybe not so for separatists).
      Nice link.

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  7. I am shocked at how poorly the PQ campaigned. I am so shocked that I sort of feel bad for them; don't get me wrong I absolutely loathe the PQ but, this campaign; wow.

    I didn't think this was possible. What a calamity. Error after error, heads will roll at the PQ. Question; isn't Pauline the last of the "old guard"? Surely she will resign after this? What's left for the PQ after that?

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    1. Really, Marco? You don't remember about ten years ago when Ernie Eves had the Ontario election in his pocket...until he opened his mouth and talked about McGuinty's "hard, pointy head". I laughed for days about that one! I still chuckle now and then when I think about it.

      I would have liked to see the PQ win big if for no other reason than to get the RoC mad at them and finally cut equalization payments to the quick. Considering Harper's lack of popularity in Quebec, I'd still like to see him stick it to Quebec but good.

      I don't suggest minorities rejoice yet. Let's see what Couillard does for Anglophones and other minorities. If the trend goes the way I figure (and I've been very good at figuring out Franco thinking), the Quebec government will not addresss you in English ever again and Couillard won't change a comma of Bill 101 or any of the other language b.s. Smaller business will still be the scapegoat of zealous language cops and lazy-assed welfare bums who have nothing better to do with their lives other than go around looking for trouble.

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  8. Now the PQ has sunk to attacking the press simply for asking legitimate questions.
    http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/04/03/pq-sends-lawyers-letters-to-critics

    Trying to suppress the media with cheap intimidation tactics… Didn’t someone say something about how they can’t be trusted with democracy? (Maurice Duplessis, trampling minority rights, language police, Janette’s charter, etc…)

    How low will the PQ be by Monday?
    1 - 2 - cha cha cha!

    The PQ is playing the Limbo now!

    http://youtu.be/iTKj_Vd5_Bk

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  9. From Ann,
    I am concerned about intimidation tactics near polling stations and monkey business when counting the votes, like what happened in the referendum. The PQ could end up winning if their goons cause trouble. Remember Marois thinks it is okay to smear Couillard's reputation, but now she uses lawyer's letters to intimidate those who have something to say about her. She also gave a veiled threat to the Charbonneau commission when they started making links to the PQ. Then there is the shady stuff that went on preventing some students from registering to vote. I am not convinced that election day will go along smoothly.

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    1. As with the students Ann, people will not be intimated by PQ scam artists - this election is too important and people know it. I would think there will be just about a record turnout at the polls this time around. I have never seen the interest in any election that I've seen in this one.

      And God it's nice to come on this blog and not have to scroll through dozens and dozens of troll nonsense!

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    2. Huh? Is there some way to screen the trolls now?

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    3. No Mr. Sauga - they seem to have disappeared in the last few days and I was just commenting that it's nice not to have to scroll past them especially student with the inane crazy questions and statements. I also hope you're wrong about Dr. Couillard and that he will make an effort to reach out to our community which Charest never did. I can't see him removing Bill 101 just yet but at least get rid of the language cops (waste of money and an embarrassment) and put English back into the schools which he has said he will do. We shall see if he can operate while under pressure from those bigots.

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    4. It wont happen..Bill 101 is here to stay for decades. Why..because francophones like it and they are 80 percent of the population..so stop dreaming. The only way Bill 101 goes is if Montreal and other areas seperate from Quebec.

      Dr.Couillard..another smooth talker who will be no better and possibly worse than Jean Charest. People always get so excited with new leaders and time in and time out they disappoint. Honestly listening to him in the debates was nauseating..scripted, phony, too passive much of the time, etc..a real bs politician.
      Legault was the only one asking real questions..talked like a normal person..showed a lot of passion..think he was excellent. But I guess people prefer the smooth talkers.

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    5. Oh God complicated - I'm not going to explain again why Legault won't be elected - surely you understand by now that there is no way on this earth that federalists are going to vote a separatist into office who has the goal of fixing the economy to separate from Canada. What is it that you don't understand? And why are you not willing to give Dr. Couillard a chance? Maybe he has more guts than you think - at least he stated the obvious - that being bilingual is an advantage! Legault jumped all over him for that so more chances lost for him.

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    6. Why should I give yet another Liberal savior a chance?? How many more times and decades of Liberal incompetence do you need to experience before you call a dud a dud??? I remember all the cheering when Jean Charest took over..he was going to change everything and he had considerably more weight than Couillard does. Its the party the problem..the party has not changed..I am done with wishful thinking and believing in fairy tales.

      I want someone who will fix our economy, reduce the debt, cut waste, lower taxes, attract business..the Liberals have never succeeded in any of these domains..the proof is there. I could care less if Legault in 10 years decides that seperation is good..he is on record as stating that he is open to a new arrangement with canada. Many on his team are federalists..why would he hire any federalists if he is a seperatist? We need action now..the Liberals are not the part to do it..the CAQ is the party that would.

      Seperation and federalism is not the problem in Quebec. Its the debt, the total mismanagement of this province, the corruption = these issues need to be tackled now..Couillard is not the one who will do it.

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    7. Seperation and federalism is not the problem in Quebec. Its the debt, the total mismanagement of this province, the corruption = these issues need to be tackled now..Couillard is not the one who will do it.

      Separation and federalism ARE a problem in Quebec, along with the debt/mismanagement. To this person, these are equal "problems"/opportunities/challenges, equal in weight and importance.

      God, if I knew of a way to reach out to separatists and chill them out with love and good vibes, I would. And I believe that such a way does exist. Canada is imperfect yet it is welcoming and cool and relaxed and makes a fine home for many diverse people of many languages. If I knew a way to help separatists fall in love with Canada and for English-Canadians to accept and understand and embrace and respect separatists and/or Fr nationalists, I would start it up right away, pronto-saurus.

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    8. BTW I'd like to see Legault have a shot at Premier, too. He obviously has a flexible, open, adult, evolving perspective and he recognizes a mired stagnancy and the need to press ahead.

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    9. The talk of seperation is a problem. But the real elephant in the room is decades of financial mismanagement, incredible self-entitlement mentality of most quebecers. A looking fiscal crisis is going to make seperation look like a cake walk.
      The CAQ were trying to appeal to like minded francophones and anglophones who were sick and tired of the neverending seperation talk..people who wanted the real issues dealt with before we go bankrupt. The CAQ was an opportunity to bring both sides together for a common goal..seperatists, federalists and people in between..for the better good of all Quebecers.

      But once again the anglos flock to the federalist Liberals like they always do out of fear and paranoia..the leftist francophones flock to the pq, the qs out of fear of the cuts the CAQ would impose. So we are again at square one..oscillating between two useless and incompetent parties which have shown they have both brought quebec to the brink of bankruptcy.

      We all missed an opportunity for real change because of our irrational fears and prejudices taking over yet again..

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    10. I dunno Complicated/Compliqué... we are probably saying the same thingss in different words
      Hablamos las mismas cosas en palabras diferentes :-)

      talk of seperation is a problem. But the real elephant in the room is decades of financial mismanagement, incredible self-entitlement mentality of most quebecers.
      I think these somehow each boil down to the same thing, two petals on the same branch or what have you.

      We all missed an opportunity for real change because of our irrational fears and prejudices taking over yet again..
      Yeah, probably. Most elections in the free world turn out this way though! :-)

      The CAQ was/is a decent bet imho

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    11. You are right to a point that seperation talk has weakened Quebec a lot and added to the debt. But a lot of the debt is unrelated..there is a mentality among many Quebecers that they deserve a certain level of social programs...very generous ones such as the 7 dollar daycare..that they deserve cheap tuition..cheap hydro and so on. This attitude is a huge part of the problem and the fact that neither of the main political parties ever had the political will to tackle this head on is why our debt keeps rising and rising.

      Look at the popularity of Quebec Solidaire..Mme..David is nice and everyone loves here..but the woman has no clue how to add. She probably failed math in school..she wants free everything and tax banks tax corporations. She will drive even more business out of Quebec and that will just impoverish the tax base even more. There is a total lack of understanding from these leftist people how the real world works..they want some sort of idealistic playland where private corporations will gladly hand over money so they can redistribute it to everyone...it doesnt work that way. Companies are very mobile and they will just leave..and then what? How many more companies are we going to drive out of Quebec? How many companies refuse to even consider setting up shop here?? I have heard countless anectotes about businesses in the rest of Canada who have zero interest in establishing a presence here..the language issue is part of it but also the anti-business climate and the heavy had of government everywhere.

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    12. lot of the debt is unrelated..there is a mentality among many Quebecers that they deserve a certain level of social programs

      There is a total lack of understanding from these leftist people how the real world works.

      popularity of Quebec Solidaire..Mme..David is nice and everyone loves her


      Bien intéressant, aussi intéressant que tu soit compliqué, n'est-ce pas?
      J'aime bien notre pétite discussion.
      A mon avis, nous nous trouvons en accord entierement, bien que nos deux perspectives semblent un peu en différend. A mes yeux, la mentalité que tu décris, qui s'attend les programs gratuites, mais pas des corporations comme maîtres, etc, est bien liés a la mentalité separatiste.

      Et bien sûr je suis, moi, d'accord pour ce que tu dise a propos des parties, ceux deux qui ne font que se propager une querrelle pour en profiter, tous les deux. C'est plutot commes les Democrates et les Républicains chez les É-U. Toujours la même chanson.

      Je n'aime pas David d'ailleurs, bien que je voie clairement qu'elle soit pas mal, qu'elle soit bonne diable, je suis mal a l'aise avec sa rhétorique de "nous" et "eux", etc etc. C'est la vie, a chacun son goût.

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  10. Anonymous Buster of Shit ArgumentsFriday, April 4, 2014 at 6:22:00 AM EDT

    If the Libs enter as a majority, I predict an even slimmer minority for the PQ. Let's say they do come in with 39 seats.

    Marois is 99.9% guaranteed to quit after her defeat - we're down to 38 seats.

    If PKP does get elected, we're down to 37 seats.

    There will of course be a leadership race. No matter who wins, the losers to the leadership will have to wait at least two terms (total eight years) before they can have another turn at the PQ crown. Seeing that the prime candidates are in their mid-fifties that may be two long.

    So with Drainville, Duschene and Lisee expected to run, count on at least one to quit out of frustration... we're now down to 36 seats.

    Anyone have any ideas on who else might bail? Maybe a couple might jump ship to the greener grass that is Quebec Solidaire?

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  11. CBC: Marois's big gamble

    http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2446229148/

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  12. Any bets on who will take over the PQ after Marois is shown the door? Drainville green lit this election by leading the PQ down the Values Charter garden path and eventual defeat. Lisee is the back room strategist and architect of the whole move towards identity politics in order to gain a majority and start another referendum push. PKP is a limousine socialist that has zero connection with voters. And Duchesne is a wall flower.

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    1. I lay $30 Bitcoins it's Fléau Bureau-Blouin!

      Hot Leonardo DiCaprio fuckability + student unrest + evident discomfort during racist speeches.
      Cakewalk.

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    2. I say Lisee..he is a snake and a smooth talker..I think Drainville is out because of his charter nonsense. Lisee the only one who has a certain charm and intelligence.

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    3. Truthfully, for an actual $5 bet, Lisée is ---- by far ---- the most obvious, natural choice. Certainly he is who I would go for (if I were a separatist, which, thank god and goodness, I am not. He's handsome, well-spoken, confident, perky - or as you say, Compliqué, he has charm. Along with his published books (and I think he's a moron BTW), making him appear brainy and "impertinent", he has an aura.

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    4. There's a very good chance LBB will lose his seat this election.

      I just realized that during the last referendum, he was 3 years old.

      Delete
    5. Yes Lisee's a polished snake alright. I would love to see him lose his seat - couldn't happen to a nicer guy (except Drainville of course). Only difference is you can see the knife from Drainville - Lisee pulls it from under his shirt.

      Imagine her claiming her "financial platform" has been responsible for the addition of 15,000 jobs when the election has created 80,000 part time jobs until the election. She must think we're all retarded.

      Delete
    6. @jf

      "Any bets on who will take over the PQ after Marois is shown the door?"

      if she doesn't win with a majority government, she's likely to retire. even if she delivers a majority pq government she will step aside one day. who'll take over then? lisée is great as you point out, but i think he likes his advisor role. i'd see gilles duceppe step in. he's charismatic. straight. proud. and clever. very dangerous for you.

      Delete
    7. Not proud enough to turn down his federal pension, or make work projects from the PQ.

      Delete
    8. @whowhatzit

      "Not proud enough to turn down his federal pension..."

      why would he do that? it would be silly. you support silly ideas mate.

      Delete
    9. "why would he do that?"

      To put his money where his mouth is? If Quebec doesn't need transfer payments from Canada, Gilles doesn't need pension payments from Canada. Very odd for a sovereigntist to say Quebec doesn't need Canada and then suckle off of Canada, well I mean not odd, they all do it, I mean hypocritical.

      Delete
  13. OK, I read that chart as 76 seats for vector spaces, 39 seats for Hydro (seems low...), 9 seats for inductors, 3 seats for one-eyed Martians, and no seats for the "no" party or mardi gras hats. I think I'm rooting for the one-eyed Martians, because they're pretty cute.

    Seriously, thank you very much for the analysis, but some of us have no idea what these hieroglyphics are are and don't want to find out... is there a reason not to use names?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...but some of us have no idea what these hieroglyphics are are and don't want to find out...

      Why are you here then?

      Delete
    2. Interest in the issues, as opposed to the graphic arts? Seriously, who registers logos? Don't people read?

      Delete
    3. @anonymous

      "but some of us have no idea..."

      who's us? the ignorants?

      Delete
  14. ‘Liberals to Form Majority Government’

    So what?

    Nothing will change, more debt, more lies, corruption…the racist, bigoted bill 101 will remain…the language Nazis departments will remain…

    Take a close look at who has ruined this province since the second world war -The liberals and the PQ…almost one and the same…decades of slime, sleaze and corruption...nothing will change...if you speak English properly get the hell out ASAP.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Union Nationale ran Quebec from the end of the war until 1970 (they were only out of office from 1960-66), shouldn't they get some of the blame?

      It's quite possible that the PQ will go the way of Union Nationale. And so many other parties that pop up from time to time in Quebec.

      Delete
    2. Yeah the guy seems to have a major hardon for dissing the Liberals along with the PQ
      Don't get me wrong, they frustrate me as well.
      I do think the U.N. carries some blame and responsibility, too. We are all children of the past, in whatever various ways we have each branched out from it

      Delete
    3. And, of course, in Quebec there is always another level - the UN was a right-wing friend of big business and part of the success of the PQ in the early days is that it was a left-wing, pro-labour party. There really was no left-wing party before the PQ, Quebec didn't have the NDP like the rest of the provinces.

      So now it looks like separation will go the way of socialism in Quebec. Sure, it'll take a few more years, but the baby boomers are finally losing their grip on the controls.

      The future looks good for Quebec now.

      Delete
  15. Alright, alright, alright. It is Friday and I want to step back a bit from the election and head to English vs. French.

    Rather overshadowed by the campaign news, there was a piece of news this week that Red Bull Crashed Ice would not return to Quebec City in 2015. This was a bit of marquee event for Quebec City in the winter with economic spinoffs of around 10M$ for the city.

    It may not be a significant news if only that French-language hard line groups like Imperatif-francais and Mouvement Quebec francais have not been attacking the event for years for using "Red Bull Crashed Ice". Never mind that it is the name the event uses in its tour around the world. Now that event is gone, what do the leaders at those organization feel like? Happy? Victorious? I do hope that they are satisfied that their goal is achieved, to chase out a profitable event out of the city.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTFriday, April 4, 2014 at 9:53:00 AM EDT

      quebec hardcore nationalists are doing an A-OK job into knocking la Belle Province into a joke.
      Again, many investors here in Germany have zero faith in quebec or Ontario. To them it's all about Alberta. Very telling...

      Delete
    2. Investors are looking for potential. Not people stroking themselves about past success with a clear plan to keep digging themselves new holes to get stuck in.

      Ontario isn;t any kind of industrial powerhouse anymore. Manufacturing base is gone. Electricity prices going crazy due to enviromental scam.

      No different then Pauline investing more in Quebec wind power really.

      It's not about common sense, it's about making the choice to get the most votes from short sighted people.

      Delete
    3. Electricity prices are going crazy in Ontario due to privatization scam (although you could call it the privatization plan, the whole point was profit). And yes, manufacturing is suffering.

      It's funny, way back when NAFTA was passed it was driven in Canada by BC softwood lumber, Alberta oil and Ontario manufacturing. It's hard to imagine what kind of a deal an independent Quebec could negotiate with the USA and the ROC for trade.

      Delete
  16. I lived in Calgary for several years in the 1990s and its the anti-Montreal. People are hard working, motivated, honest and genuine..my general experience in Montreal is more or less the opposite..most people are opportunistic, lazy, selfish and dishonest.
    Private capital is attracted to places like Calgary where people have a certain work ethic, ethical standards - also a province that bends over backwards to attract business. It was so obvious twenty years ago that Calgary had a stellar future and its even more so now. The attitude of the city attracts like minded people..peope who are ambitious, hard working who want to succeed..they continue to make Calgary a thriving city.
    Meanwhile in Montreal people expect their employer to cater to their needs, the government to take care of them, they expect not to have to work hard, and on and on..totally different attitude and the results are as clear as can be..Calgary will continue to outperform the rest of the countrty and Montreal will continue to underperform..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTFriday, April 4, 2014 at 11:41:00 AM EDT

      @Complicated. I concur. Couldn't have said it better.

      Delete
    2. Calgary is exciting; though I have yet been, it is always interesting to read about and hear more about. It must be a fascinating experience to watch that city's history and grow unfold before you.

      Delete
    3. After high school in Montreal I moved to Calgary in 1978 and lived there until I returned to go to Concordia in 1981. At the time the joke in Calgary was, "This will be a nice city when it's finished," and the "official bird" of the city was the construction crane. Well, it is a beautiful city now. I've been back for work many times over the years and always enjoy it.

      I also find it interesting how for all the talk in Quebec about being recognized as a "distinct society," there is so little knowledge of other cities and provinces. In Montreal it's as if it's still 1978 and Calgary is still a dusty pioneer town and the Husky Tower is the tallest building. And the idea that Calgary is full of right-wing rednecks is ridiculous (and always was a poor stereotype).

      Quebec needs to start a real exchange program with the ROC - not for high school students but for 60 year olds...

      Delete
    4. Yes there is a real biasedness towards western canada. People here think they are all a bunch of rednecks and so on. Calgary is a very cosmopolitan city with people from all over the world..many highly educated people..if anything there are more redneck type people in the Montreal area..notably the ones who vote for the PQ.

      Delete
    5. This anti-Alberta/anti-Calgary/anti-West prejudice was depressing pre-Naheed Nenshi; now it's just glaringly, pathetically stupid and ignorant.

      Delete
    6. Yes, I tell people in my adult life I lived in the most left-wing province; Quebec under Rene Levesque, the most right-wing province; Ontario under Mike Harris, and the most centrist; Alberta under Peter Lougheed (and Ralph Klein just continued those policies).

      Alberta has the best (and best-funded) public education and health care in the country. It's easy to say it's because they have all that oil but they've also made some very good choices. Which now Saskatchewan is following.

      Delete
  17. Copied from FB:

    Interesting interview on CBC radio this am with jean Dorion. He is encouraging all separatists to vote either CAQ, QS. He says that the PQ are worse than the Liberals mostly because of the charter. He also wrote an article in the Journal de Montreal about this. He said that he has already voted and it wasn't for the PQ. He was very negative about the Marois gov This made my day :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Interesting take from Dan Delmar..

    http://www.cjad.com/blog/the-exchange/2014/04/02/what-is-guaranteed-to-happen-after-april-7

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow that was very very enjoyable!

      Predictions make me uncomfortable however these are reasonable enough and admit to not being actual "guaranteed" predicitons. Much of this "feels" quite read in the reading.

      Delete
  19. At the start of this election campaign I said there were only two possible outcomes: a PQ majority or PQ minority.

    I knew a month was a long time, and anything could happen in that time span, but who would think things would literally turn upside down, a completely flip flop!


    I know how you feel. Sometimes we really have a strong personal hunch that we feel utter confidence in.

    I recall when you made that comment; I read it over a few times. It struck me how often we become strongly convinced in our intuitions regarding the future. At the time, I felt that our hunches are really irrelevant; we cannot guess the future. The CAQ gaining a majority was a possibility 30 days ago, as was Francoise David co-leading a minority.

    We never know what will happen. The future is literally and by definition unpredictable.

    FWIW my intution said "liberal majority"... however I have no idea why I thought that, it was baseless. And the PQ could still win. On verra.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, they did call Couillard Mr. Flip-Flop. Things have flipped and flopped his way.

      Delete
  20. I'm amazed that the trolls have not been around - it's actually enjoyable to come to this site without their ridiculous comments underneath every one's post............
    Wonder what their up to?
    Sent on another mission lol?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I said way back, the issue in Quebec has never been Anglophone vs. Francophone, it has always been Francophone vs. Francophone - maybe the trolls have finally figured out they're losing Francophone support by the minute and are trying to shore it up.

      Or they're celebrating Genie Bouchard's win over Venus Williams and getting ready for the next round....

      Delete
    2. @sicktodeathofitall

      "I'm amazed that the trolls have not been around - (...) Wonder what their up to?"

      don't worry mate cutie003, ed and james wolfe will be back. many times thay have taken a pause only to surge again with more bad ideas.

      Delete
  21. Party Platforms laid out for all to read. Kind of got lost somehow during the mud slinging:

    http://www.cjad.com/QuebecElections2014PartyPlatforms.aspx

    ReplyDelete
  22. don't celebrate early! people have to turn out to vote! Don't take things for granted

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Couldn't agree more! Don't pay attention to the polls - we could lose key ridings if we are complacent.

      Pauline's last days of the campaign and the ridings she is visiting to ensure PQ victory:

      http://goo.gl/FiEzVA

      Delete
    2. If who is complacent..its not like any anglophones actually live in areas where the Liberals wont win. The real battle are in areas where essentially no anglos live..good luck influencing them..

      Delete
  23. Couillard has hunky eyes.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Editor,

    A bit of comment on the photo caption: in time of despair or in critical time, Catholics do not usually pray Lord's Prayer but rather Hail Mary. That is where the football term Hail Mary came from. The quarterback who popularized it was a Catholic and he prayed that prayer when he threw the ball deep to the end zone in desperation.

    Je vous salue, Marie pleine de grâce ;
    Le Seigneur est avec vous.
    Vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes
    Et Jésus, le fruit de vos entrailles, est béni.
    Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu,
    Priez pour nous, pauvres pécheurs,
    Maintenant, et à l'heure de notre mort.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fair enough.credit yourselff with a change in caption...

      Delete
  25. Chantal Hébert in the Toronto Star: "The campaign has been a washout for sovereigntists. At a minimum it stands to set their referendum agenda back for years. Some PQ insiders are gloomily thinking decades... It may be that the loss of traction of sovereignty is turning the Parti Québécois into little more than the spare wheel of Quebec politics."

    http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/04/04/quebec_election_campaign_a_devastating_blow_to_sovereigntists_hbert.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It makes sense. For anyone in Quebec who was born after Bill 101 passed - so anyone under 40, really - the situation is so different than for people older than that. There is no real problem that can only be solved by independence. Quebec is totally French and yet still part of Canada. It works.

      And it's not like Scotland that can gain independence from Great Britain and still be a member of the EU like Ireland and Belgium. Quebec would be a small North American country behind the USA, Mexico and Canada.

      What's going on in Quebec now is the same as what's going on in Ontario, it's an urban-rural struggle. The electoral map in Quebec with one party taking most rural seats and another party taking most urban seats looks a lot like Ontario.

      Delete
    2. In 1995, Hébert broke the story in La Presse that the 1995 Quebec referendum question's guarantee of an offer of partnership with the rest of Canada before declaring sovereignty following a "Yes" vote was a sham.

      Hébert wrote that in a June 13 meeting with fifteen foreign diplomats, Quebec Premier Jacques Parizeau had stated that what mattered most was to get a majority vote from Quebec citizens for the proposal to secede from Canada because with that, Quebecers would be trapped "like lobsters thrown in boiling water" (in French: "comme des homards dans l'eau bouillante").

      Delete
    3. Chantal Hébert is an Officer of the Order of Canada. Who is Student? A nobody.

      Hébert is a columnist and former bureau chief at Le Devoir newspaper and L’Actualité magazine. As well, she has been employed by Radio-Canada, La Presse, the National Post and the Ottawa Citizen, among others, for her insightful commentary. She is frequently invited to appear on the CBC’s flagship national newscast, “The National”, and also regularly participates in French and English current affairs programming on both television and radio.

      Meanwhile, Student trolls the internet and mocks her. And it has the right to vote. How ghastly.

      Delete
    4. Another illustration of Students lack of knowledge. Chantal Herbert is actually a recognized expert with regards to Quebec Politics. She was the author of the book "French Kiss" which was an analysis of Stephen Harpers courting of Quebec when the Conservatives returned to power in Ottawa. It was during this time that the Harper government increased equalization and helped out John Charest with a 700 Million dollar payment during a Quebec election. Unfortunate for Harper that at the end of the day it was not a kiss, but a kick in the groin he received from Quebec in the proceeding federal election, which no doubt contributed to his current actions and obvious feelings towards Quebec.

      Delete
    5. Why are you wasting your time and the blog's space by responding to student's bait?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous Buster of Shit ArgumentsSaturday, April 5, 2014 at 10:28:00 AM EDT

      Ahhh, bless Student's tiny, rock-hard little heart.

      When someone impersonates her, she's all about upholding the Editor's rules.

      Yet a quick scroll reveals that like all other separatists, she doesn't believe the rules apply to her.

      So Editor, if you do remove the "fake student" comment, be sure the violations committed by the real student by way of one-liners and direct insults.

      Delete
    7. @ a bs argument

      your last sentence doesn't make sense. what did you intend to convey mate?

      Delete
  26. L'avocate de l'ancien ministre libéral Marc-Yvan Côté a obtenu que de nouveaux documents d'enquête policière concernant le Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ) restent secrets jusqu'après les élections provinciales de lundi.
    http://www.journaldemontreal.com/2014/04/03/les-documents-de-lupac-sur-le-plq-secrets-jusquapres-les-elections

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Le Journal a tout tenté pour dévoiler le contenu de ces documents avant l'élection, sans succès. Leur publication précédant l'heure prescrite par le juge pourrait être passible d'accusations d'outrage au tribunal.

      Malheureusement pour les électeurs, l'information contenue dans cet affidavit ne pourra être connue avant le scrutin du 7 avril.

      Delete
    2. I've already made my choice but I really wonder what all this is about.

      Delete
    3. (sigh) Who said troll three times into a mirror? Look what happened, student came back.

      Delete
    4. @whowhatzit

      what has your stupid comment about trolls got to do with a.d. minh's worries about lpq's corruption case?

      Delete
    5. Oh no I said troll and it appeared!

      Delete
    6. @whowhatzit

      Now make it disappear, lol

      Delete
  27. Pauline Marois has driven me nuts as she planned for the last six months. I can't tell you how much I am happy to watch her lose this Monday. Bunch of bums who won't get jobs and can't mind their fuckin business. I have never looked more forward to a Monday in my whole living life. The best part is that SHE is the one who started this fight and WE are going to finish it.

    Good riddance you lying, cheating, conniving underhanded fat bitch.

    P.S. All these people kissing your ass the last 18months?? They are going to EAT YOU ALIVE in 3 days.

    ReplyDelete
  28. My prayer for Monday.....
    First, the Liberals will win.
    Second, I would dearly love to see the little bugger Léo Bureau-Blouin lose his seat.
    Third, My prayer is that PKP wins his seat and has to spend the next four years warming a back bench in obscurity.
    This is a campaign that will go down in the history books.
    It feels as though finally the ROQ (rest of Quebec) really fought back.
    Oops.....
    Must be careful to not start counting the chickens too early.
    Fingers crossed.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Quatre des cinq étudiants de McGill ne pourront pas voter

    http://tinyurl.com/mzn79pk

    4 votes d'anglouilles en moins pour les libs :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bonjour - Hi
      Only a separatist could be gleeful while democracy is spit on ..................
      Monday can't come soon enough - really.
      And btw - those 4 votes are not going to make any difference at all ( other than, once again, show the indecency of Quebec on the world stage ) The PQ are out on their asses - salut - good-bye -

      Delete
    2. @sicktodeathofitall

      "Only a separatist could be gleeful while democracy is spit on..."

      so you think someone with less than 6 months residency in quebec should be allowed to vote in quebec, right? so what should be the minimum time required in your humble opinion mate? or are you just an imbecile that's in for a quick smear?

      Delete
    3. http://www.cjad.com/cjad-news/2014/04/04/south-shore-gathering-for-liberals-as-a-new-poll-gives-them-a-14point-lead-over-pq

      40% to 26%

      That's all that matters Rodger.

      Except for knuckle draggers like yourself and your blood relatives you and your seppies politicians are about to get rejected, big time.

      This doesn;t mean Quebec is somehow fixed. It's just at least with the PQ licking it's wounds for 5 years Montreal can move on if we keep pushing.

      Delete
    4. "so you think someone with less than 6 months residency in quebec should be allowed to vote in quebec, right? so what should be the minimum time required in your humble opinion mate? or are you just an imbecile that's in for a quick smear?"

      Student I know reading isn't your forte, but all the students had over 6 months of residency in Quebec, that was never the issue. Please inform yourself on stories before you start making your typical uninformed pointless comments.

      Delete
    5. "...that was never the issue."

      what is the issue with these four dudes then? why aren't they granted voting right?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous Buster of Shit ArgumentsSaturday, April 5, 2014 at 7:19:00 AM EDT

      @whowhatzit

      Please don't bother El Studento. You have to understand that it must be frustrating as hell for her and S.R to watch from the shore as their ship sinks into the abyss.

      BTW, going forward, if you do choose to address Student, use her real name: BROKEN CONDOM.

      Delete
    7. @whowhatzit

      haha. mate don't you think it's funny that a bs argument's advice is for you not to come to the point? how lame is that? fascinating.

      Delete
    8. I wouldn't address student as broken condom, that may be how student got here but, it's how terrible they've used their time since they got here that's disheartening. Perhaps if Student actually read a story on the topic he/she wouldn't come off as looking so foolish by completely missing the issue. I'm starting to think we've all been wrong thinking Student and SR are sovereigntist trolls, after all wouldn't trolls try and make sovereigntist look better? All they do here is make sovereigntist look like uneducated, uninformed yahoos, so maybe they're joke trolls created by federalists to discredit sovereigntists.

      Delete
  30. And there was Gilles on CBC News blaming the social media (us I guess) for the downfall of the PQ campaign. I'm sure it's the first time in his life that he's been right! Of course, nothing to do with their blunders at all - it's always someone else's fault.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @cutie003

      what "blunders"?

      Delete
    2. Well we know where student has been during the election campaign, under a rock.

      Delete
    3. @whowhatzit

      sure. but what blunders is cutie003 refering to mate? are you aware?

      Delete
    4. It seems everyone is aware of the PQ blunders but you (might explain your continued support of the PQ), perhaps doing some homework on your own about current events would be beneficial before trying to have an adult discussion about current events. As a recommendation I'd try and get the news from actual news sites and not the PQ twitter feed in the future.

      Delete
    5. @whowhatzit

      "It seems everyone is aware of the PQ blunders but you..."

      sure. but what blunders are you refering to mate?

      Delete
    6. http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/montreal/Ekos+poll+points+Liberal/9702795/story.html

      ""None of them offer good news for the PQ and Pauline Marois. If the end results do reflect this latest poll, it will be the worst election for the PQ since it first participated in an election in 1970.""

      That's your team fool.

      http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/know+which+side+bread+is+buttered

      Enough of your compatriots seem to have figured out "know which side your bread is buttered " to save us from nuclear meltdown.

      You need to start to work on logic justifying the massive loss of face you are about to suffer.

      All this time spent here wasted. You are going to have to hang out here for free soon.

      Your overlords budget is about to disappear.


      Delete
    7. " what blunders mate ? " It's too pitiful for words - seriously !

      Delete
    8. Gilles was actually saying that, because social media, including twitter, is too quick to pick up on things, that candidates didn't have time to think of their answers when asked questions so therefore blunders were made - in other words, no time to make up their usual BS. Imagine, honesty in how they think and respond, is now a "problem"! They are so rehearsed they are not supposed to "think". lol

      Delete
    9. This sad and pathetic version of the PQ deserves to be annihilated come Monday. But we'll settle for it being neutralized..FOR GOOD.

      The QS star is rising, let's hope 'it' is slightly more honorable, and less despicable.

      Delete
    10. @cutie003

      "...therefore blunders were made."

      what blunders?

      @sicktodeathofitall

      well we'll have to conclude you don't have any examples of "blunders" handy. that's a shame for you.

      Delete
    11. Blunder number 1 - Taking on PKP into a socialist leftist party. This is one of the most hated businessman in Quebec via the unions and the unions are traditionally big PQ supporters.
      Blunder number 2 - PKP talking about wanting a country and Pauline Marois standing next to him and raising her arm in approval. This gave fuel to the other parties to blast the PQ about another referendum. This really started their downfall.

      Blunder number 3 - Pauline Marois telling Quebecers that they would still have a canadian passport and there would be no border guards..she forgot to tell quebecers that maybe the roc might have a say in this.

      Blunder number 4 - Endorsing a clearly racist xenophobe and borderline dementia person Janette Bertrand..invetning stories about women being kicked out of the swimming pool in their apartment building. Then on top of it Pauline telling us all that she still supports Janette and saw nothing wrong with her comments. Hard to believe a socialist party could be this racist.

      Blunder number 5 - Telling the DGE that they need to do something about the massive number of anglo students who are trynig to register to vote. Her former justice minister stating that we cant have ontarians deciding the future of quebec. In the end we were talking about a few hundred students which would have made no difference.

      Blunder number 6 - Not willing to release financial information about her husband wheras the other two leaders did. Is she hiding something. Blasting Couillard about Porter meanwhile there is about ten time more dirt on her own husband.

      Blunder number 7 - All of a sudden in the last days announcing that she would lower taxes IF she achieves a balanced budget which is as likely as me being elected premier of quebec. Very cynical move..reeks of desperation. When questioned about why she never mentioned this earlier..she states that nobody asked her..does she really think the electorate are that dumb.

      And I suspect there are others that I have forgotten..but you get the picture..its high time popo rides off into the sunset..same with drainville..

      Delete
    12. @complicated

      oh these things. well they look like blunders when spinned like you did. here's my point of view.

      "blunder" 1. getting péladeau on board is a great achievement by pauline marois. it should have you and union dudes realize the pq is not "socialist" but rather a coalition of sovereigntists. you should have felt it's great news if people from all the spectrum embrace the project.

      "blunder" 2. péladeau's separatist coming out. no blunder there. what's to despise here is the liberal's exploitation of this event. they started a week long fear mongering spree that even you acknowledged in a reply to cutie003 earlier. i admit pq probably underestimated how low could the liberals go into lies and demagogy.

      "blunder" 3. about the passport and borders. canada accepts dual citizenship mate. didn't you know? and canada is most probably not stupid enough to close its border with new quebec country. have you ever heard about trade? it was fair for marois to assume these things.

      "blunder" 4. you got the story wrong about bertrand and the pool incident. check it and rewrite this blunder if you think it still is one.

      "blunder" 5. seems you think the dge should worry about illegal voters only if they would make a difference... err... care to rephrase?

      "blunder" 6. mate. how much do you think couillard was on during his stint advising saudi government on brain surgery? and you think he could only save 600000$ out of it?!?!? by jove are you gullible. she did well in not getting involved into this lie fest.

      "blunder" 7. she was asked is she'll lower taxes. she said yes but only when there'll be margins to do so. how can this answer be a blunder?!? you were once again the victim of a pq basher's spin.

      generally speaking you need to be more careful about what you are being fed complicated. most of what you take for granted about the parti québécois seems to be crap.

      Delete
    13. For those "not" being blunders they certainly hurt the PQ as a party and in the polls, Student we already had the discussion about not only getting your news from the PQ twitter feed. I also love whenever a sovereignists calls talk of separation or referendum "fear mongering", talk about being embarrassed of your own cause.

      Delete
    14. @whowhatzit

      referendum talk is fear mongering when it is done with the objective of instiling fear, which was what couillard did big time. did he argue on the pros and cons? did he acknowledge that a referendum would come only if the idea was supported by a majority, as th pq kept repeating? no, he just tossed it as if asking the people what they wish was the worst thing ever. fear mongering mate. textbook. whether you like it or not.

      Delete
    15. If a referendum were desirable, it wouldn’t instill any fear at all.

      Only the profoundly indoctrinated can fail to see that.

      Delete
    16. The pros and cons? Hahahahahahahahahahahhahaahhahaahhahahah
      You are $250+BILLION in debt, and you can't afford to move out and become own country you imbecile. The best you can hope for is that CANADA allows you to keep living in its basement you nitwit. And you better hope and pray that people like Sauga don't actually figure out a way to get rid of your sorry quebec broke-ass for good, cause then you'd really be in trouble. LOL

      Delete
    17. @joseph

      a referendum on something that only garners 40% support is not desirable. i would fear it too! the difference between me and the imbeciles that couillard scared away is i know it won't happen unless support for separation rises above 50%. and when it does a referendum will be desirable now won't it? i mean if you care about democracy of course.

      Delete
    18. @Montréal ville état

      It's actually up to $265+BILLION in debt now... but what's $15 billion dollars between friends? Fifteen Olympic Stadiums or so?

      http://www.iedm.org/27-quebec-debt-clock

      Delete
    19. Hahahh omg, doesn't it just kill you guys how this pond scum tries to school people on "democracy", lololol....this from someone who supports the most undemocratic bill ever thought up, bill 60, the (no) values charter, by the most racist party this province has had the misfortune of being governed by, in a long time, and there was a reason for that.

      Hopefully, people get their head on straight and after Monday, we can FINALLY take out the trash.

      There is no defending the broke-ass quebec brand...until you get rid of those who broke it.....lol.

      Delete
    20. @Joseph,

      Thanks for the reminder, my headache just got worst, meanwhile pond scum over there, doesn't think Canada is pampering her enough, she insists on having her own country. Maybe you can enlighten her as to what would happen if she leaves home with a debt of 265+BILLION $$$$$$$, lol, g'head! Lol

      Delete
    21. Even by using blatant provocation, the PQ has been unable to artificially reach even a minimum 50% support for separation (let alone the 98+% support that real separation movements easily achieve).

      What will it take for Student to finally acknowledge that this is the genuine, democratic desire of Quebecers and for you to stop harming Quebec’s potential by insisting on chasing your rejected illusory dream?

      Delete
  31. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTFriday, April 4, 2014 at 5:38:00 PM EDT

    @ S.R.
    Je savais que les quebecois de ta trempe - des andouilles - n'auront jamais, mais jamais leur independance.
    L'Alberta va se separer avant le quebec, ce bien petit peuple de peureux.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Kind of cute and hopefully true:

    https://twitter.com/WillemBruce/status/452213839808172032/photo/1

    ReplyDelete
  33. From the Rationalist:

    This just out from Ekos IPolitics (see the Cyberpresse website):

    PLQ 46%
    PQ 26.3%
    CAQ 21%
    Solidaire 9.6%

    Back in 2007 Boisclair hit rock bottom at 28.35%

    Now wouldn't be just great that Marois suffers an even lower score.

    And Drainville is out of a job come Tuesday morning.

    ReplyDelete
  34. From the Rationalist, Correction PLQ 40% (but who knows - they always under poll)

    ReplyDelete
  35. A video from comedian Guy Nantel:
    While politically engaged anglophone students are being denied the right to vote in this election, somehow these clueless francophones are perfectly welcome to vote:

    VOX POP - Guy Nantel : Le droit de vote pour tous?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. one has nothing to do with the other mate. if roc students don't fit the residency criteria they don't vote. that's it that's all. and there are ignorants on both sides of the divide. take ed and cutie003 for example. bad comment mate.

      Delete
    2. There was a time, Student, when the PQ was the party of artists and they understood symbolism. They knew that six votes wouldn't make a difference but that blocking them would become an international story, as it has. And they would have understood that a government that can block votes is "independent."

      Today the PQ isn't "for" Quebec, it's against... well, almost everything.

      Delete
    3. @jay

      sure jay. except it's not the pq that "blocked" illegal voters, it's the dge. every election people are legetimately denied the right to vote. now some bad journalist picked a few and turned it into a case to make the pq look bad when it has nothing to do with it. cheap shots like this happen all the time to separatist bodies as quebec bashers have no morals. unfortunately you seem to have fallen into this latest trap.

      Delete
    4. I'm talking about the reaction to it. The symbolism. There was a time when the PQ, and the separatist movement, understood these things better than anyone else. That doesn't seem to be the case anymore. Separatism was always an appeal to the heart, not the head, but now the heart doesn't seem to be full.

      Delete
    5. I suspect this denying anglo students was blown somewhat out of proportion by both sides. Did any of these students actually have a quebec drivers licence or medical card..it seems if they did then there would be no problem. If they are still using an out of province card even after living here years then they shouldnt be allowed to vote.

      Delete
  36. UN GARS BIEN SYMPATHIQUE DE FRANKFORTFriday, April 4, 2014 at 10:39:00 PM EDT

    @ student:
    Les quebecois de ta trempe - des andouilles - n'auront jamais, mais jamais leur independance,mate.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Dan Delmar says: This should go over well in Le Journal: "The most appalling, cynical and intolerant large-party politician in the modern history of Canada."

    Original title:
    Jonathan Kay: Pauline Marois an enabler for society’s worst, most phobic, most parochial sentiments

    Current updated title:
    Jonathan Kay: The electoral humiliation of Pauline Marois would serve many useful purposes

    ReplyDelete
  38. Many suggestions have been made to cut provincial spending, but I haven't heard anyone mention reducing the duplication of federal services that were put in place to ease the transition after separation. How much could be saved by unifying the income-tax processing facilities and the immigration delegations around the globe?

    The PQ were going to spend half a million studying federal encroachment on provincial areas, but I haven't seen anything since their proposal. I haven't been able to find anything on provincial encroachment on federal areas.
    Does anyone know of a list of such duplications?

    ReplyDelete
  39. Anonymous Buster of Shit ArgumentsSaturday, April 5, 2014 at 7:35:00 AM EDT

    Awesome news everyone - Quebec Inclusif has declared that even if the PQ gets defeated on Monday they will continue to fight the charter to ensure that it never resurfaces as an election issue again.

    Oh, and check out the kind of loser mentality that is on display by PQ supporters over the fact that polls continue to favor the PLQ:

    http://screencast.com/t/lFlJukvdM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. why is worrying about corruption "loser mentality" in your humble opinion?

      Delete
    2. The reality is that the PQ is likely no better vis-a-vis the corruption..just look at claude blanchet as one example. Plus the PQ always pits les quebecois pur against everyone else..divide and conquer..promoting xenophobia and paranoia.
      But having said that yes I agree that there is something wrong with the mental state of most quebecers..voting the liberals again to a likely majority after the utter incompetence they have shown over the past few decades..
      Nice to see Legault picking up steam..latest polls have the caq around 23 percent..the caq may provide some surprises on monday night..ie no liberal majority..

      Delete
    3. And then what complicated? A liberal minority, with the power yet again in the hands of separatists to remove rights and freedoms, because to pass any bill to improve the economy, will be stopped by either the PQ or the CAQ in order to get some features from the charter or Bill 14? Damn it everyone - VOTE LIBERAL - WE NEED A MAJORITY to get rid of these charters and bills that are going to kill off our economy yet again! NO MINORITY GOVERNMENTS - we will be held hostage by these separatists again!

      Delete
    4. I think a Liberal minority working with the CAQ would the be the ideal result on Monday..I would love to see the CAQ win but it is not going to happen. The Liberals clearly do not deserve another majority mandate after their disastrous 9 years..the CAQ deserve a higher profile. The CAQ would force the Liberals to move more to the right which is what we need in this province..there would be more cuts, more waste cut, a stronger push towards lower taxes with the CAQ holding the balance of power.
      The CAQ are not seperatists..thats more parnoia coming out of your mouth. The CAQ want to fix the problems in Quebec which the Liberals have clearly not been able to fix. You are blinded by tunnel vision and pure paranoia Cutie..the Liberals are NOT the answer..the CAQ is.

      Delete
    5. I expect an apology from you complicated if they are the official opposition with a minority liberal government and any part of those charters and bills are rammed down our throats because of their separatist leaning. Damn - you're as stubborn as ED when it comes to admitting that they are a separatist party - God - he's stated it more than once! If he acts strictly for the good of the province when it comes to the economy (and he already stated that he feels Bill 101 needs to be upgraded) then I will apologize to you gladly but not until. If they are the official opposition with a majority liberal government then neither one of us will have to worry about what he does. And I'm not paranoid, you're naive.

      Delete
    6. He has NEVER stated that the CAQ was a seperatist party..those words are yous because of your extreme paranoia. You are so blinded by fear that you would prefer electing a government that has proven over and over to be utterly incompetent. You yourself have critized the Liberals..why the rose coloured glasses all of sudden. I look at the facts..you are driven by emotion. The facts are that the Liberals had 9 bloody years to fix things in Quebec under one of the most well know politicians around and they totally failed..they were in power while insane amounts of corruption were going on..they increased the debt by 60 billion dollars even though we have the lowest interest rates in history..they ignored the anglophone community but took our vote..they allowed the infrastrucute to crumble. The facts are there hitting you in the face but all you ever harp on about is the old seperatist paranoia.

      I could care less that Legault was in the PQ..he is on record for saying that no talk on a new country for 10 years..he is on record for saying that either staying with canada or seperating are an eventual possibility in 10 flipping years. We need urgent action on the debt..the Liberals are not the answer.

      I am not apologizing to you or anybody if the Liberals do not get their precious majority. Quebecers are getting sick and tired of 40 years of alternation between the Liberals and the PQ. Its people like you and most anglos who blindly support the same party over and over that are the real problem. A party that even you admit has been pretty useless..its time to open up your eyes and stop freaking out over anybody who was seperatist. Its time to embrace real change..a new party and a new direction. Quebec needs to focus on the debt and the economy now and forget about all the other garbage. The Liberals are just more of the same and if it isnt clear to you that they are then you are completely blind.

      Delete
    7. OMG - you are as stubborn as Ed - maybe worse! Legualt could get a majority and fire every union member and the whole of the public service and all that would do is put more on EI or welfare BECAUSE THERE IS NO MONEY THAT WILL COME INTO THIS PROVINCE AND NO INVESTMENT BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE LAWS AND CHARTERS THAT LEGAULT HAS ALREADY ADMITTED HE WOULD BE WILLING TO PUT IN PLACE. And he would be leader of the PQ party had he not lost the leadership race to Miss Piggy so he went out and started his own party! How much more of a separatist do you want? And he was in the PQ when all the corruption was going on so he is far from innocent of any of the sins of the other corrupt people in this province! ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE INTERMINGLED SO HE CAN BE THE BEST MANAGER IN THE WORLD BUT IF THERE IS NO INVESTMENT AND POLITICAL INSECURITY, THIS PROVINCE WILL NEVER GET ON IT'S FEET! You're the only person on this blog that does not UNDERSTAND THIS!

      Delete
    8. The province is broke...go look...wake up!!! Whats coming to Quebec not pretty at all...no party is willing to fix this...lol

      http://www.debtclock.ca/provincial-debtclocks/quebec/

      Delete
    9. @complicated

      pretty good comment up there mate. unfortunately, most anglos think a crook is better than a separatist and even an ex-separatist. can't get much crazier. they willfuly choose to be abused as long as their kin remains at the helm of the country. that's hardcore ethnic nationalism. if they started voting with quebec's interest in mind they would garner a ton of respect from every way and be considered accordingly. the way they have been behaving lately is truly pathetic.

      have you seen cutie003 and anectote's latest strategy? vote couillard in with a majority and then only after pressure him into passing laws along their agenda: kill bill 101. haha. he must have laughed so hard if he read that.

      Delete
    10. "most anglos think a crook is better than a separatist and even an ex-separatist."

      Hmm don't remember Couillard being implicated, charged or convicted of anything illegal, Pauline and her hubby on the other hand? Yeesh. What's worse than voting for a crook or a separatist? A crooked seperatist. Vote for Quebec's interests, don't vote PQ.

      Delete
    11. @whowhatzit

      "don't remember Couillard being implicated, charged or convicted of anything illegal,..."

      haha. he's heavily involved in the lpq mate. at least eleven of his operatives are on the upaq hitlist. he couldn't pass a ethic code for his party because too many though they'd love too many freinds if they did. remember this one? he was also involved with a government that has instituted sexual segregation. that's illegal too. and he's best friends with an world class crook. that's who you'll vote for? fascinating.

      "Pauline and her hubby on the other hand?"

      on the other hand what?

      Delete
    12. "haha. he's heavily involved in the lpq mate. at least eleven of his operatives are on the upaq hitlist. he couldn't pass a ethic code for his party because too many though they'd love too many freinds if they did. remember this one? he was also involved with a government that has instituted sexual segregation. that's illegal too. and he's best friends with an world class crook. that's who you'll vote for? fascinating."

      At no point in any of that did you actually say anything Couillard did that was illegal. Following your logic of guilt by tangential association of being in the same party then we can say all PQs support terrorists, how? Well the FLQ killed people; the PQ gave Jacques Rose a FLQ terrorist a standing ovation; Pauline is the head of the PQ; therefore Pauline supports terrorists. Only someone real desperate would even try to make those connections fly lol. What next are you going to accuse Doctors without borders of promoting genocide because they treated patients in a country where genocide was taking place? How simply ridiculous. I know Couillard himself is too clean for you to pin anything to him, but the attempt to that you're making is just embarrassing.

      "on the other hand what?"
      On the other hand Pauline and her hubby have been implicated in numerous illegal activities. When making comparisons most people don't need the criteria repeated in the same sentence, they can figure it out.

      Delete
  40. That damn charter and Bill 14 (which would totally kill even more of the quebec economy) should have never seen the light of day and I hope to God they never do. Let's hope Legault doesn't have too much bargaining power after the election - he was for some of both these bills. The liberals need a majority!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Pauline Marois said that Quebec might never be ready for referendum.
    Jean-Francois Lisee said that he felt very pessimistic about the prospect of a referendum.
    Agnes Maltais said that if the referendum was held now, the "No" vote would win.

    Then why does Parti Quebecois still exist with its current ideology? Why can it not be just a political party, instead of a separatist political party?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, it's odd that these people aren't happier at what Quebec has achieved and by the fact it doesn't need a referendum. In politics, of course, the means becomes the end - independence was offered as the only solution to a host of problems in Quebec but while some were focused on independence others focused on the actual problems and made huge strides.

      Maybe the PQ will become something other than a separatist party (but will it be left-leaning or right-leaning?) or it may disappear. Why didn't the Union Nationale become the Conservative party of Quebec?

      Delete
    2. pauline marois basically ackowledges she doesn't know the future. lisée and maltais acknoledged that 40% is not enough to win a referendum as the treshold is 50% plus one.

      all these are not arguments against the pq's raison d'etre but proofs the separatist leaders are grounded. does it answer your simplistic question troy?

      Delete
    3. The polls seem to indicate that young people in Quebec don't see independence as a priority. And they don't see being Canadian as any kind of hindrance in their lives. So, it is interesting to ask these days, I think, exactly what independence would improve in Quebec? And now people would like to talk about specifics and details and not "feelings." We have culture and art and religion and Les Canadiens for that. This is politics.

      There are always levels of government. Scotland might leave Great Britain but would remain in the EU with many other countries of about the same size and a few much bigger. Would Scotland then be "independent," sharing the same passport and trade agreements with Germany and Greece?

      It looks right now that most people in Quebec and the ROC see Canada as a kind of EU with a single parliament for everyone but also strong "national" governments in each region.

      What would be the benefits of leaving the kind of arrangement the rest of the world is trying to form?

      Delete
    4. student -

      How many times do the PQ need to be told by Quebecers that they ARE NOT interested in a referendum and having an independant country??

      Two referendums..both with misleading questions..both defeated..a consistent 60-70 percent of quebecers who do not want their own country. And yet this party instead of respecting that..goes out of their way to anatagonize people to artificially create conditions that will push people over that 50 percent mark..does it get any more diabolical?? Its clear that the charter of values was a tool concoted by the PQ to scare les pur laine again into thinking they need extra protection and to antagonize both sides to create anger and also to PROVOKE Canada into interfering so that the PQ could jump up and down and say "Look Canada is interfereing into OUR affairs..we need a country".

      Seperatist leaders are not grounded..they are acting inthe most despicable manipulative and underhanded ways. Marois and her current group are the most racially intolerant political party I have ever seen in this country. You should be embarassed to support their actions..especially coming from a supposedly leftist progressive university educated student.

      Delete
    5. @complicated

      "How many times do the PQ need to be told by Quebecers that they ARE NOT interested in (...) having an independant country??"

      you are putting the whole democracy thing into question. you're asking a bigger question than you thought you were aren't you mate?

      "to artificially create conditions that will push people over that 50 percent mark..does it get any more diabolical??"

      in my humble opinion it's the current conditions that are artificial. scaring people into thinking they're not good enough to run their own thing is what's diabolical.

      the charter of values would institute secularity into government affairs. it's a good thing in my humble opinion. if it goes against canadian values well it's a reason more to separate. simple enough isn't it? you can't just call every distinct quebec initiative as a strategic tool. sometimes quebec does things differently because it is different.

      "...her current group are the most racially intolerant political party I have ever seen in this country."

      what did the current pq do that's racist?!? can you bring examples forward?

      "especially coming from a supposedly leftist progressive university educated student."

      you assume a lot. leftist? university? try to stick to facts. speculating on my creds will lead you nowhere.

      Delete
    6. Student, what exactly does, "Run their own thing" mean? Do European countries that are members of the EU "run their own thing?" Certainly "independent" countries that were part of the Soviet bloc did not. What about places like Ruerto Rico, does it, "run it's own thing?"

      This is why many more details are needed. After forty years it seems like the people of Quebec are asking for more details but no answers are forthcoming. The days are over when separatists can talk about "negotiating" some special arrangement with Canada - the negotiations are done, so what specifically isn't working enough to make such a huge change in the lives of millions of people?

      Delete
    7. @jay

      "Do European countries that are members of the EU "run their own thing?"

      i understand your point. and i agree that a eu type arrangment between roc and quebec, like you propose, could be beneficial to all parties involved: monetary union, open borders, etc. good thinking jay.

      Delete
    8. @jay

      no it's not. do italians send half of their taxes to brussels? no.

      Delete
    9. and can italians vote on united nations resolutions? yes.

      do you see the difference between europe and canada now jay?

      Delete
    10. That's it? I don't know how much Italy receives in transfer payments from Germany. I know Greece isn't happy about what they're getting. The UN didn't want to let Canada in because they felt it was just another UK vote, are you sure they'd let Quebec in?

      In any event, are these issues enough to disrupt the lives of so many people? Because the choice is what we have now or total independence. Most people in Quebec have realized that there won't be any further negotiation and are rejecting total independence. If all you've got to offer is a vote in the UN on resolutions that don't get enforced (Quebec could add one more vote to every anti-Israel resolution, that makes up half the UN's resolutions these days) and trading taxes out for transfer payments in it doesn't seem like you'll get the votes.

      At least you didn't mention preserving the culture. Is it safe now?

      Delete
    11. Jay,

      The UN didn't want to let Canada in because they felt it was just another UK vote...

      What...?

      Delete
    12. @jay

      "That's it?"

      yes that's it. taxes, laws and treaties. all eu countries have way more control over theirs than quebec province. yes eu is a good model to emulate and no canada is not already anywhere like it.

      "are these issues enough to disrupt the lives of so many people?"

      yes, as "disrupt", in this context, means improving in my humble opinion.

      "Most people in Quebec have realized that there won't be any further negotiation..."

      crazytalk. if canada wants quebec to leave with a share of federal debt there will have to be a negociation. what you are doing here is fear mongering. petty strategy jay.

      "At least you didn't mention preserving the culture. Is it safe now?"

      you're right i didn't. thanks for bringing it up. yes i think eu countries have a better chance of preserving their culture as independant countries than quebec as a province of officially multicultural canada. take austria for example. i think it's in a better position to remain culturally distinct as an independant country than if it was a german lander. don't you?

      Delete
    13. Coming out of WWII Canada was seen as an extension of the UK. We didn't even have our own flag. It wasn't just Canada, there were objections to many Xommonwealth countries. The Commonwealth was a bigger deal in those days.

      To make it even weirder there was also the complaint that Canada would just vote with the USA on everything.

      Delete
    14. Canada would only be the first negotiation, of course. Then comes the US, the EU and the Pacific Rim. NAFTA was driven by BC softwood lumber, Alberta oil and Ontario manufacturing and we still didn't get a very good deal out of the US. Maybe Quebec would get a better deal but that would be a difficult sell to anyone who has seen the way the US negotiates trade deals.

      It looks like an uphill battle to convince young people thatQuebec going it alone is the better deal. It seems many people in Quebec feel the better choice is to be a significant part of Canada.

      And yes, as I've said before, when half of Quebec's population moved to the they lost their culture and the half who remained kept it. There's really no reason to feel being part of Canada threatens Quebec culture. An independent Quebec May start to look like Puerto Rico, though.

      Delete
    15. "no it's not. do italians send half of their taxes to brussels? no."
      They also don't get 50% more taxes back. lol #Studentlogic

      I wouldn't try and have a serious discussion about separation with Student. Student has drunk too well of the PQ coolaid wherein Quebec will take on many new powers during a separation that will have absolutely no negative effect on the economy, tourism or the day to day lives of anyone, and Quebec will have to take on no additional financial or any other responsibilities.

      New powers of taxation, laws and treaties will magically make Quebec a more prosperous and happy land, how? Who knows but it'll happen because we say it will! Student thinks religious people too illogical to hold positions of power the irony is Student is highly religious, it's simply that seperation is his/her Messiah who will take everyone to the land of milk and honey, sure there's no evidence for any of that, but if you believe and have faith you too will see the promised land!

      Delete
    16. Blah blah culture… Quebecers have quite happily maintained their culture for 400 years without any protection, coercion or trying to eradicate other people’s cultures.

      Delete
    17. Does Austria have an ingrained culture of lazy workers, bloated civil service, welfare bums, corruption deals with the government and construction union thugs hindering it?

      Perhaps it is successful because it eschews these things.

      Delete
    18. @joseph

      "Quebecers have quite happily maintained their culture for 400 years without any protection..."

      if quebeckers still made ten babies per family there wouldn't be a need for bill 101. now that could be a good strategy for you. don't like bill 101? then support family policies like parental leave and cheap daycare.

      "does Austria have an ingrained culture of lazy workers..."

      i don't know, but i know it has nothing to do with what we were discussing. please step up your game or stop interfering.

      Delete
    19. @jay

      "Canada would only be the first negotiation, of course. Then comes the US, the EU..."

      but right up there you just wrote that the negociation was laready over? have you changed your mind?

      "It looks like an uphill battle to convince young people thatQuebec going it alone is the better deal..."

      i don't think so. you're relying on current pq support to draw this conclusion. many young people are attracted by quebec solidaire, which is also separatist.

      "It seems many people in Quebec feel the better choice is to be a significant part of Canada."

      no it seems many people in quebec feel they are not good enough to call the shots on quebec matters. propaganda works.

      "An independent Quebec May start to look like Puerto Rico, though."

      this is akin to writing no one will negociate with independant quebec, as you did earlier. and it's called fear mongering. petty stuff.

      Delete
    20. Summery: Student looks down on anyone who doesn't support separation as being weak; anyone who speaks against separation using pragmatic considerations is fear mongering; and anyone that supports separation as having seen the light and welcomes them as a brother, wherein they will both go to the holy land of milk and honey as prophasized by the prophet René Lévesque.

      I'm seriously starting to think Student might have been brainwashed by some sort of cult.
      1. Belief system composed of us vs them mentality: check
      2. Belief in a paradise that will only be achieved by converting others: check
      3. Belief that this paradise is all but assured if certain steps are followed: check
      4. Belief that all others want the same thing regardless of evidence to the contrary: check
      5. Shared chants and shared symbols on clothing: check
      6. Continued belief in an event even after the time of said event has been missed (twice): check
      Yeesh, not looking good.

      Delete
  42. And I have a bit of a chuckle seeing Agnes Maltais wearing The North Face. Should it not be "Le visage nord" or "Les manteaux The North Face"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha. mate that is gold. you are so funny.

      Delete
    2. Well, I am glad that student agrees with me that attempt to francize English-language products is funny.

      Delete
  43. The decision by the judge to deny the McGill and Concordia students their vote is not so clear cut. He deems that a proper trial would be necessary since the deadline to render his decision was so tight, he decided that the best option was to refuse their vote even though they may be correct. His reasoning? The court would have been inundated with requests.

    The person who won his case and who was given the right to vote (the Green Party candidate) was a clear case, so the judge ruled in his favour, although we have to wonder why he was denied in the first place.

    Here is an interview (in French) with Julius Grey, the lawyer representing the students.

    Interview Julius Grey on court decision

    ReplyDelete
  44. "All is not lost" accroding to Marois. Reading this is like reading Maple Leaf fans believing that their team still has a chance for the playoffs.

    ReplyDelete
  45. “I have to laugh at the francophone moral outrage about this accusation because history has indeed shown that they are not trustworthy with democracy.“ (link)

    Democracy does sometimes seem to be something that today’s PQ adheres to only grudgingly…

    - Trying to run a minority government as if they had a majority, refusing to compromise with the opposition parties and then wondering why they never accomplished anything.

    - Permanently damaging social cohesion by cynically introducing an extremely-divisive charter that they knew perfectly well to be unconstitutional, and in the name of “promoting social cohesion” when really it was really in the hope of trying to provoke a fight with Ottawa to garner support for another unwanted referendum.

    - Drainville farcically holding his “no-hearings” about the charter with the Pineault-Carons, the Zombie Lady and druids (supposedly to allow the public to provide input into shaping their representatives’ proposed bill), all the while stating that there will be no substantial changes even considered.

    - Diane de Courcy wanting to regulate what is already the world’s most-regulated still more, to give language police the right to seize (!) anything at all they believe might be against the French language law (like On/Off switches) from restaurants and other small businesses, as well as depriving military personnel the right to send their kids to English schools if they so choose, instead of valuing this tremendous asset we have.

    - Having sympathizers uselessly gaming the system in their favour when it came to registering voters, once it looked like their dismal campaign might cause them to lose the election… a situation that had never occurred before, despite generations of students voting in elections.

    - Suckering francophone students to vote for them by wearing red squares and banging pots for “free tuition”, and then once elected, dropping them like a hot potato and charging them the same increase anyway…

    - Subsidizing a cement plant even though all the others are well under capacity, simply because Pauline said “they had voted the right way” (this is exactly the same thing that Duplessis used to do).

    - Desperately tossing out tax cut promises only three days before the vote, even though this was never even mentioned in their farcical budget that had been only recently submitted days before calling an election.

    - And now threatening journalists by throwing around “mises-en-demeure” and potential SLAPPs, hoping to intimidate the press.

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    1. "...then wondering why they never accomplished anything."

      pq never wondered that. in fact they accomplished a lot. you should read jean-francois lisée's blog more often. he often writes about the current government's deeds.

      "...introducing an extremely-divisive charter that they knew perfectly well to be unconstitutional..."

      it wasn't so divisive. francophones were generally supportive of the thing, and anglophones well you can't really say as they always are against whatever pq does, good or bad. and then who cares if its' unconstitutional? they are separatists! of course some of what they'll propose will go against canadian values. this separation drive didn't come out of the blue mate. wake up.

      "Drainville farcically holding his “no-hearings” about the charter..."

      the national assembly heard every group that wished to be heard, including the most respected dudes and the most ridiculous ones, including druids and hugo shebbeare. if you think some people should not have been heard, what would you have proposed as a discrimination criteria?

      "...all the while stating that there will be no substantial changes even considered."

      he said no changes will be considered before the end of the hearings. sounds reasonable to me mate. drainville is the kind of guy who prefers to have all the data before moving. unlike you.

      "Diane de Courcy wanting to (...) seize (!) anything at all they believe might be against the French language law (like On/Off switches) from restaurants..."

      false. de courcy doesn't want to seize switches. you're a liar.

      "depriving military personnel the right to send their kids to English schools if they so choose..."

      when bill 101 was enacted there wasn't french schools close to all canadian military bases. now there is. the derogation is therefore useless now. don't you agree?

      "Having sympathizers uselessly gaming the system in their favour when it came to registering voters..."

      what do you refer to? that's just thin air crap as far as i'm concerned.

      "...once elected, dropping them like a hot potato and charging them the same increase anyway…"

      that's extremely false too. charest's increase of 82% plus inflation peg was totally dropped and only an inflation crank was put in place. that was a big lie mate. wow.

      "...tax cut promises only three days before the vote, even though this was never even mentioned in their farcical budget..."

      why would she put 2016 tax cuts in this year's budget?!? and here's the context about this bit. a journalist asked if she had tax cuts planned to respond to legaults fancy promises. she said yes but only when there will be a budget surplus. how could she have answered in a more responsible way?!?

      bad comment mate. try again.

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    2. It doesn’t even sound like the Student really believes in its knee-jerk, rabid arguments anymore. Nevertheless, just to demolish its most strongly-held belief, students will indeed be paying more for tuition by the PQ under Marois (deceitfully, using backdoor tricks) than what was first honestly proposed by the Liberals under Charest. (link)

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    3. It's quite amusing watching student trying to jump through the cognitive dissonance hoops created by the PQ's constant flip flopping and hypocrisy.

      Choice quotes:
      "you should read jean-francois lisée's blog more often."
      Apparently it's Student's only source of news, I thought we talked about this already Student? lol.

      "[the charter] wasn't so divisive."
      How does one deal with such level of denial? You don't even have to look at Quebec as a whole to see how devisive it is, just count how many former PQ leaders are against it!

      "who cares if its' unconstitutional?"
      The PQ, until 6 days ago!

      "the national assembly heard every group that wished to be heard"
      Pretty sure an election was called way before the hearings were scheduled to end, you know before the actual prepared presenters were supposed to take the mic.

      "he said no changes will be considered before the end of the hearings."
      Nope he said no changes, period: "The PQ minister responsible for the legislation, Democratic Institutions Minister Bernard Drainville, won’t budge on the bill’s only real issue in dispute – the ban on wearing such religious articles as turbans, kippas and head scarves in the Quebec civil service. It’s “an essential and inescapable condition of the bill,” he said as hearings kicked off."

      "that's extremely false too. charest's increase of 82% plus inflation peg was totally dropped and only an inflation crank was put in place. that was a big lie mate. wow."
      I'd look into the changes the PQ made to the tax credits for students "mate" if you think that's a lie, lol, you'll be in for quite a surprise when you file your taxes. http://tinyurl.com/kn5q927

      " she said yes but only when there will be a budget surplus."
      Well we know what that's code for based on the PQ's record of hitting budget projections, there will never be tax cuts.

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  46. Read this on another board, the supposedly concession speech of a certain political party on the midnight of 08 April:

    "C'est vrai, c'est vrai qu'on a été battus, au fond, par quoi? Par l'argent des etudiants riches de McGill, essentiellement."

    Maybe student or S.R can help me translating?

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    Replies
    1. Thank God, Janette Bertrand "warned the province about the perils of aquatic Muslims" - Best phrase ever!

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  47. "‘The game is not finished,’ Marois says"

    Really? It's a game now?

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