Marois' 'Quebec Citizenship'........ Poutine, Maple Syrup & Koolaid

Two Days- Two flip flops

It took just 24 hours for Pauline Marois' Quebec Citizenship plan to blow up in her face as the Parti Quebecois was forced to reverse positions on her pronouncement that all those who did not speak French would be barred from holding any public office.  Link

First she was quite specific;

"Marois said that if elected, she would reintroduce a controversial PQ bill requiring all new citizens of Quebec to learn French. But the new bill would go even further than the initial version of Bill 195, tabled in 2007.

To be eligible to run in provincial or municipal elections, a non-francophone would have to speak French well enough “to be able to explain his ideas, explain his point of view,” Marois said.

The proposed law would apply to people born and raised in Quebec, including members of First Nations, as well as immigrants." Read More

The PQ brain trust weighed the implications and promptly freaked out.
And so she and the party did a fancy two-step and like a whirling dancer in a Quebec quadrille, changed directions without skipping a beat.

"Today, the PQ clarified their position: All those who would have the proposed Quebec citizenship would be allowed to run for election. All current Quebec citizens would automatically get that citizenship, but new immigrants would be subjected to a French test before being granted those rights." Read More

 Don't for a minute believe that the change of heart was out of deference to Anglophones and their historical right to speak English, had it only been that, Marois would have been happy to tweak the nose of our community and soldier on.

The reversal was in fact a result of the utter panic in the PQ brain trust that Marois had inadvertantly declared war on Quebec's natives, a fight that would be politically disastrous and impossible to win.

Many Quebec bands speak only their native tongue along with English and they did not appreciate in the least Marois' insult that the language of Quebec is French only.

Stirring up Native resentment, could only be described as a fool's gambit, something that even the dumbest, poorest federalist or separatist voter understands.
The spectre of confrontation à la Oka is frightening enough and Quebecers, like Canadians across the country understand, it's never good policy to piss off the natives.

And so it's a bit disconcerting to see the next potential premier of Quebec stumble so badly, making it up as she goes along, especially as she seems to be trifling with the most basic tenets of democracy as if she were discussing a new pork barrel recreation centre in Paris du bois, in an effort to shill for votes.

Lost in all this, is the curious fact that in Quebec, the ridiculous is quickly accepted as normal, where the details and modalities of Quebec citizenship can be discussed without anyone in the mainstream media pointing out the absurdity of a province creating such a device, akin to debating the colour of the lampshade one decides to sport over one's head, without considering the why and what for.

It is as if Quebec has become a sad version of Alice in Wonderland, where up is down, and political conversations are nonsensical, illogical and maddeningly frightful. 
And so to paraphrase the Mad Hatter "The entire world is falling to ruins and poor Pauline is off to her tea."

While Marois' so-called Quebec Citizenship project, like the Herouxville Code of conduct, applies to all, its real target are the twenty percent of Quebecers who are not the 'pure laine.'

Madame Marois' citizenship project is just another extension of her well-established reputation of practising the politics of exclusion, well-established among Quebec hardliners, who view immigrants as the enemy within and the Anglophone community as a relentless evil force of assimilation.

The citizenship project is a not so subtle warning to those outside the French bubble, that if they expect to be included in Quebec society, they better embrace the values and culture of poutine and maple syrup while chugging down the Koolaid of Quebec nationalism.

What does that mean?

It means that speaking French is not enough.
It means embracing francophone culture, mores, values and customs and of course Quebec cuisine, poutine and maple syrup.
This is the minimum requirement for retaining the privilege of living in Quebec.

It means that the 20% must embrace French television, cinema, music, and sport.
It means that those coming to Quebec may not bring with them or maintain any semblance of their heritage, religion, orthodoxy, customs, language or dress.
No playing loud Arabic music in the car, wandering the streets in a sari, or promenading in flowing Hasidic regalia.
No weird native cuisine, egg rolls and pizza is all the exotic fare permitted.
It is a society that requires the 20% to understand that marriage is an outdated concept, that belief in God a no-no and a place where hard work and entrepreneurship a sign of social dysfunction.
It is a society where the children of the 20% should be careful not to study too hard, lest they show up the natives.
And more sickening, it is a society that tells the 20% to embrace the fact that Canada is evil and that Quebec is the cat's meow.

The citizenship project is a message that the very assimilation that French militants decry as it pertains to themselves, is what they demand of the 20%.
While claiming that saving French in North America contributes to the language and cultural diversity of the world, such diversity in Quebec is an anathema.

Now to my francophone and particularly sovereigntist readers, I know the characterization above is not the view of the majority of francophones, even among sovereigntists, who are a remarkably diverse group.
But it does reflect the hardline view, the one shared and promoted by Pauline Marois and the basis of the PQ policy on what a Quebec citizen must be.

And so Marois prattles on, lurching from one idiotic notion to another and no sooner had she done her flip over citizenship she faced another similar crisis over her party's platform of consultative referendums whereby citizens who gather signatures equal to 15% of the population, can trigger a binding referendum on any issue.
It's a moronic idea to begin with, but one Marois and the PQ defended until now, because nobody  chose to challenge it.

But in her one on one debate with the leader of the CAQ, Francois Legault, he pounded her mercilessly as to the stupidity of the policy, asking Marois if she is bound to hold a referendum on sovereignty if militants gather these signatures, which as Legault offered, they were sure to do.

It was savagely delicious to watch Marois squirm and do her level best to sidestep the question, only to crash and burn over the issue, in the end.

The day after the debate, the PQ admitted that this cornerstone policy was to be abandoned, conscious that had they not done so, the opposition would run riot with the issue.

"In another surprise shift in the Parti Quebecois platform, Pauline Marois said last night that a citizen-initiated referendum could be a mere recommendation from the public, that would not force the government to act."  Read the rest of the story

There she is readers, our potential new Premier, floundering and flopping around like a newly hooked fish in the bottom of the row boat.

It is a frightful idea that she is in fact, the most experienced member of the PQ brigade and it's no wonder that even on the separatist vigile.net website, the prevailing sentiment is;

"Pauline, you're killing us!"

Pauline Marois- Let the Rich Pay!

On Monday, Premier Charest and Pauline Marois had a face to face debate and it was certainly more entertaining than the one held the night before that included Francois David, leader of  the Quebec solidaire, and Francois Legault, leader of the ADQ.

It was clear that Mr. Charest was the better debater and Marois continued her fanciful line of arguments, again ducking direct questions with off-subject and long-winded responses that veered off on a tangent.
Even the moderator, this time the very able Pierre Bruneau, called her to order as she ducked the question as to whether she would initiate a referendum in her first mandate.

Shucking and jiving, she avoided giving a direct answer even after three forceful interventions by the moderator asking her to PLEASE answer the question that was asked.

All this being said, I don't think Charest made up any ground and the minds of very few voters were changed.

What did intrigue me was Marois' insistence that she would cancel the $200 flat rate health tax, which she claimed was unfair to the poor. She insisted that her government would recover the money from the so-called 'rich,' those who made over $130,000 per year.

It's a popular notion among her constituency, after all, only 4% of taxpayers do earn over this amount and if they have to pay, well all the better for 97.2% of Quebecers who would get off scott free, under her proposal.

These privileged 4% already pay over 33% of the personal taxes collected in Quebec and for Pauline, it isn't enough!

Just for fun, Let's examine just how 'lucky' these taxpayers are and how much they'll get left with after the PQ adds another $6,500 to their tax bill, the amount each of them will pay as an extra tax in order to offset the $950 million she is short, by eliminating the universal health tax.   Link{Fr}

Here is the case of a Quebec taxpayer making $130,000 a year, who owns one car and a home with an approximate value of $375,000.

Taxes paid;

$46,000 ..............Federal and Provincial Income Tax
  $8,000 ..............Levies for Quebec Pension and employment Insurance
  $1,600 ..............Tax on gasoline, car registration and license
  $3,750 ..............Municipal Taxes on  home
     $300 .............. Welcome Tax (prorated over 10 years)
     $300 .............. alcohol and cigarette tax
$10,000 ..............GST & TVQ
  $6,500 ..............Marois' new health tax

$77,650 ..............Total taxes paid, 60% of income

$52,350 ..............After tax income.....40% of income

Readers should also consider that employers pay levies as well, in relation to each employee. This pays for medicare, and employer contributions to the QPP, CSST, Normes de Travail, Parental leave etc, etc.

For an employee making $130, 000, it works out to another $15,000 a year, money that would rightfully belong to the employee if not for the taxes.

Now my facts and figures are as accurate as far as a four hour search can be, they are decidedly rough calculations, but if I am wrong, I probably erred on the low side, considering all the other hidden taxes we pay.

Please don't send in nitpicking comments, I stipulate in advance that this is just a general study that is useful, because it shows just how much these so-called 'rich' people contribute.

The fact is that taxes in Quebec are stifling and every time our politicians come up with ideas to tax more, they shrink from their duty to spend wisely the money they confiscate.

Now Marois hasn't had her chance to muck things up further, her turn appears to be coming and by all indications, she will follow in the fine tradition of a tax and spender.

The PQ is no more guilty than the Liberals in overspending, but the scary part of Marois is that she is oblivious to the problem.

In every speech she has given, the emphasis is on cutting taxes and increasing spending.

Whether it is Charest, Marois or Legault who becomes the next Premier, spending will remain out of control because until serious measures are taken to reduce entitlements, cut back exaggerated subsides to private companies, cut the bloated bureaucracy and get control of runaway public pensions, Quebec will continue its course towards a Greek tragedy.

It can't happen here.
That's what the Greeks thought until three years ago and I bet the same applies to the Italians, Irish, Spaniards and Portuguese today, all living in a pretend world, ignoring the awful truth that the financial shoe is about to drop.

We are soon approaching our breaking point as well, maybe not in a year or five but it is approaching.

Pauline Marois, who views these financial problems through rose-coloured glasses is just the useful idiot to send Quebec past the tipping point.

The very essence of a separatist government and the uncertainty of an undeclared referendum, will become a veritable Sword of Damocles hanging above our financial heads.

In layman's terms it is a financial buzzkill.

In the end, Madame Marois will find out that she is in no position to tax the rich. There isn't enough of them and there will be relatively less in the future.

One last point before I go today and it is about another one of Madame Marois' promises, the one where francization rules will now apply to companies with between 10 and 49 employees.

In France, there is a law that imposes an incredible burden upon employers, once they grow to over 49 employees.
The result........Companies refuse to grow.
Read a fascinating article in BusinessWeek: Why France Has So Many 49-Employee Companies
The realty is that many, many companies, like in France, will stop growing or they will take extraordinary measure to avoid the 10 employee threshold, including sub-contracting and opening multiple companies, instead of one.

The government bureaucrats believe that they can control everything by fiat and that everyone will meekly go along with their nonsense.

The very best and simple example of this hardheadedness was the doubling of tolls on the Laurention Autoroute in 1985 from 25¢ to 50¢ in one fell swoop.
 Here, I'm actually quoting myself;

"...The toll plazas were old and weren't equipped with mechanical arms that came down to act as a barrier until payment was effected. The system was a simple red light/green light affair with a bell and flashing red light triggered in the case where a motorist stiffed on the payment. Supposedly, a police car parked in reserve would pursue and ticket the offender.
But the volume of scofflaws became enormous and it was impossible for the police to cope. At a certain point, it became hugely embarrassing to the government and action had to be taken in order to maintain public order. The government, had no choice but to re-build the toll plazas to incorporate barrier arms, but balked at the cost and more importantly feared the backlash that such an action would engender.
So they did the only thing that they could. They got rid of the tolls completely and went from a 25¢ toll to 50¢ and then to nothing.

Government types calculated that it would double revenues without ever considering consumer reaction."

Another planning fiasco that failed to take into consideration that people act in their own self interest and that paper predictions are almost always flawed. Perhaps our bean counters should remember the old adage-
"Men Plan, God laughs." Link

The same thing will happen if Marois goes ahead with her anti-English, anti-Ethnic and anti-religion agenda.

It's called PUSHBACK and it's coming.

LATE DEVELOPMENT 

As you might have heard, Pauline Marois unloaded a bit of an unexpected bombshell yesterday when out of the blue, she announced that when elected, she will introduce legislation requiring those running for public office to pass a French test.
To me as an election observer and an ex-organizer it was not only telling, but frightening..

You see it means that her handlers who are steering her campaign are confident that this line is of attack is striking a cord with voters.
They wouldn't have dropped this bombshell without some very specific internal polling numbers that is telling them that anglo and ethnic bashing is resonating.
Confident that all she has to do to win the election, is to hold onto the hard-cores, she is playing up the race, religion and language card.
This latest pronouncement will steal votes and maybe a percentage point or two from hardcore Quebec Solidaire and Option Nationale supporters. That is all she needs.

It is actually quite frightening, even for an old cynic like me.

Quebec Anglos, Ethnics and religiously observant....Be afraid...Be very afraid! 

We are headed towards dark times.

Leader's Debate..Welcome to the Liar's Club

There's been a lot said and written this morning in the newspapers and on the radio and television, concerning last night's debate.
You could read or watch these reports and commentaries all day long and you still wouldn't be half-done.
But most stories were be boring and repetitive, nothing much happened in the debate and I doubt that voter perceptions were changed.
Perhaps tonight, in the one-on-one debate between Jean Charest and Pauline Marois, we will hear something more substantive.

As is my custom, I'll try to bring forward a few facts and opinions that you won't hear elsewhere.
Here is a short critique of the four Leaders.

FRANCOISE DAVID

If ever I move to Shangri-la or the Garden of Eden I would surely vote for Madame David.
She would make a perfect ruler of a world where we didn't need fossil fuels because everything ran on renewable, clean energy and where cars and airplanes would be a thing of the past.

It is a world where everyone over eighteen receives a guaranteed salary, just for existing and everything her government provides citizens is free, including medicare, education and housing for all who can't or won't provide for themselves.
All this would be paid for by taxing to death the few people in Quebec who earn more than a 100 million dollars a year and by increasing royalties on mining companies to 8000%.
If this is not enough , perhaps manna will shower down from Heaven, but probably not because nobody in this land believes in God.

It is a world of equality, where all the minorities would be allowed to wear their native garb while embracing the Quebecois culture of poutine and maple syrup. They would all happily sing "Alouette"and watch hockey, swigging down beer and pizza and smoking Export 'A.'

It would of course be an independent country, free of the constraints of Canada and those pesky economists .
There would be no debt and there would be no savings or bank accounts, the government would provide everything.
Banks would be outlawed and bosses and shareholders sent packing.

Citizens! All this can happen, just vote for Amir Khadir and Francoise David.

It amazes me that the Quebec Solidaire holds only 6% of the vote, according to pollsters.
I'da think that this type of program would appeal to the moron and idiot class which I always pegged at about 15% of the population.
Sheesh, Madame David can't even fool them!

JEAN CHAREST

Predictable. Same old same old.
Everyone knows he's a good debater and he has a knack for selective facts and figures that he trots out to defend himself and his government.
His attack on Marois over an alleged illegal campaign contribution fell flat and he never really got to pound away on the question of law and order.

One thing that seemed strange was the reaction shots of the Premier smiling like a Cheshire cat while being lambasted by Marois or Legault.


PAULINE MAROIS
Madame Marois is the most skillful of all leaders at not answering a question.
Ask her a YES or NO Question and she will launch into a long-winded response that has nothing to do with what was asked.
The television moderators were no match for her, unlike a radio commentator last week who stopped her mid-sentence and asked empathiclly if she would PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION.
Of course when she did say something substantive, it was utter nonsense.

As is her custom, she told one helluva whopper that nobody in any media outlet picked up on.

Let's deconstruct that statement, it is nonsense any way you look at it.

According to Marois her husband gave his doctor to his son because his didn't have one and the son had a newborn.

Marois didn't say her husband "GAVE UP' his doctor, she said that he gave the doctor to his son, perhaps like a Christmas present.
But it did sound like he gave up his doctor in favour of his son, something so utterly unbelievable that how anyone could accept such a nose stretcher is beyond belief.

Imagine, the upstanding, reputable and by the book Claude Blanchet being without a doctor because he gave his up in favour of his son.
This sacrifice from a guy who could waltz into the Westmount Clinic any day he wanted and receive all the treatment in the world as long as he paid.
Oh, but I forgot... He is too reputable and honourable for that, we all know that Mr. Blanchet has a reputation as a straight-shooter, never bending or breaking the rules and always following the letter and spirit of the law.

Readers, would you be interested in some swampland in Florida?


FRANCOIS LEGAULT
Francois Legault was a bit out of his league, but didn't lose any points or support, I imagine.

Anglos, were roundly ignored by all the leaders, except Mr. Legault, who took the time to do a little bashing.
Here he makes the claim that you can't get served in French in downtown Montreal and that Bill 101 is not being enforced with enough vigour.

Anglos, get in line to vote for him!!!!
.

 By the way, of all the issues that Radio-Canada brought up as discussion points, the provincial debt was never mentioned.
As I said in a previous post, there is no debt crisis in Quebec as long as all the politicians agree in advance to never discuss it!

Readers, I leave the last word to you in the comments section.

Housekeeping - Volume 10

Like most readers, I watched the leaders debate Sunday evening, which did not give me a lot of time to write a proper post about it.

Never fear!
Sometime later tonight or tomorrow morning that critique will appear and you will have ample time and space to air your opinions as to who won or lost, who made the most salient points or who made no sense at all. 

Please don't post comments about the debate to this post, wait until that post appears, tentatively entitled... 'LIAR'S CLUB'....

Since I last wrote a 'Housekeeping' article, readership and participation has actually taken a satisfying spike upwards.

You may have noticed that the little counter of monthly pageviews in the right margin has been climbing slowly, but surely, and now shows over 50,000 views per month.

This counter is not particularly accurate but it gives a sense of where we are and in what direction we are going.

Here is a more accurate snapshot of readership, a detailed study by Google Analytics.
You will notice that the pageview count is much, much higher than what is shown in the margin each day. Google is actually reporting over 75,000 pageviews last month.

Of course I'm convinced that our success comes from the fact that there are not many websites offering an anglo perspective of Quebec, a site that is unafraid to voice harsh opinions and a place where the frustrations and anger of a community finds an unapologetic tribune in the comment section.

Before I go on to talk about the comments section specifically, I want readers to understand that this blog is viewed and your comments are read, all over the world.

Last month we had visits from over 100 countries in over 1400 different cities.

Our blog is read in embassies and consulates and the halls of government across the world.

I know this because of the contact I have with many who make private inquiries via email.

I also have the ability to see the town or city from where readers arrive, the blog posts they read and the links that they click on.
I can tell you that it is always surprising when a visitor from Washington, Beijing, or London follows a link to a political story about Quebec, written in French!

I'm not boasting, I'm just trying to get you to understand our impact. 

And yes, our blog is followed closely by the vigile.net crowd, who as I said before are attracted here like moths to a flame.
I find it amusing that we are denigrated as 'angryphones' a pejorative that I wear as a badge of honour.
I do however correct all who refer to me as such, because I am way past being angry and more appropriately like to think of myself as a 'furiousphone'

I take great pleasure in the fact that each time militant sovereigntists visit our site, they are subjected to insulting cartoons or photos and are subjected to your unapologetic comments.
Militant separatists are a largely grim and serious lot with decidedly thin skin. It hurts a lot!
Nothing but nothing annoys these people more than being mocked on a worldwide stage and I am happy to oblige.

Now to the comment section, which is an integral part of this blog.
Many people write to say how much they appreciate what goes on in the comment section.

We have a fantastic corps of contributors, varied in opinion but sharing some common traits, being extremely literate, well-read, educated and knowledgeable.
Their posts are informative and interesting.

I again want to stress how many people around the world read your missives and so I'd like to offer a little friendly advice.

• Take a few minutes to review your post and ask yourself if it is interesting to others or is it just self-gratification.
• We are not obsessed with spelling or grammar, it is opinions that count, but it wouldn't hurt to use a spell-checker.
• Rage is fine, but sometimes adding a gratuitous insult takes away from the discussion. If you want your opinion to be considered by the opposite side or those who are neutral, you really aren't helping your case with a profane, cruel or ad hominem  attack.
• Also, it goes without saying that it is never a good idea to comment when over-tired, angry or under the influence. Resist the temptation!

Now I'm going to make a very, very gentle suggestion to commenters, that if you can, please write your comment in English.
Now this does not apply to those who are not comfortable or proficient in English.

They are always, always invited to write in French.

But we have a surprising number of Anglos and ethnics who are perfectly comfortable writing in French and do so on and off. Actually it is very impressive!

I would hope that they would reconsider. Most of the people coming to this blog from outside
Quebec don't speak French and many comments are, as they say, 'lost in translation.'
The francophones who visit with us all understand English, otherwise they couldn't comment, even in French.
This is just a very gentle suggestion, do not feel obligated.

One last point about the comment section.
As editor and moderater, I try not to interfere in the comment section other than to remove unfit material.

I READ EVERY COMMENT.

But I add my two cents rarely, because I believe that the comment section is a tribune for others.
I think 50-75% of the comments are fantastic and believe me, I change my mind about issues constantly after reading your posts.

Strangely, or perhaps not strangely, the longer comments usually seem more interesting.
It is easy to dash off a one-liner, but to write out a well thought out comment, a couple of hundred words, takes a lot of concentration and effort.
I do appreciate the time you take to develop these responses and congratulate you on your effort.
You are commended and perhaps rewarded, (like all writers) in knowing that many, many people all around the world are interested in what you have to say.

At the other end of the spectrum, write a banal one-liner, with an insult attached and everyone just skips over it.
And no, I'm not referring to one of our prolific commenters, S.R, who I actually like as a contributor.
When he is at his best and he writes something sarcastic and biting,  I laugh, even when his target is aimed at me.
There is no room for a thin-skinned here!

As for promoting our views, a lot of readers ask me how we can get the message out and how we can encourage more people to visit our blog.

Here, I must ask for your help.
The best way to get people to read this blog is to promote it through the social media.

If you find a story interesting please use the FACEBOOK icon to post a link to the story on your personal page.
This is by far the most effective tool for propagating our message.
You can also add a link when commenting in the comments section attached to news stories  in mainstream media.
One good link in a national newspaper can steer 200 or 300 people to our site.

Some of you with TWITTER accounts can re-Tweet a link to a blog post to those who follow you.

And by the way, a special shout-out to ERIC who does re-Tweet religiously.

Another thank-you to THE CAT for helping out with translation, it is much appreciated and of course I want to again thank my lovely wife for editing and critiquing this blog before going to sleep each night. Sometimes it is a chore, but she never fails me, she is a jewel!
(We are married for almost 40 years!)

Thanks to all for your contributions and let us remember that none of us are paid to do this, it is a labour of love.

To those who are shy and wish to remain lurkers, I do appreciate you visiting our site regularly. You count!

In fact, everybody counts and contributes!

Come to think of it, I wish the separatists would understand that concept!

Pauline Marois- A Clear and Present Danger

Back in 1977, when the then PQ government introduced Bill 101, a law designed to restrict English rights, some anglo commentators were ridiculed for wondering out loud, that if a government could restrict our language, what is to stop it from restricting our religion?

Welcome to Pauline Marois' world.

I want to preface this blog piece by saying that I've lived my entire life in Quebec as an Anglophone, working professionally for almost forty years in a French milieu and have never felt an ounce of bigotry or discrimination, but I do admit that I am not a visible minority.

At any rate I remain a fan and admirer of Quebec society, warts and all.

In fact readers, the very first time I heard a 'racist' comment was on a business trip to Edmonton, when I was just twenty years old and where my host asked me how it felt to be an Anglo in that Goddamned 'FRENCHIE" province.
....YIKES!!

With all the separatist rhetoric over the years, I never felt in danger or threatened, even with the election of the PQ led by Rene Levesque way back when.

In fact all the leaders of the PQ until now were fairly decent chaps who based their sovereignty aspirations on respect for all citizens and the belief that an independent Quebec would be inclusive.

Yes, that even includes Jacques Parizeau, whose injudicious remarks on that fateful referendum night sealed his fate as a leader.
And let us not forget that he did the honourable thing and resigned.

I know I'll catch a lot of flack for this, but Parizeau was not the racist he is made out to be, his personal life and political record tells a different story and readers, who of us, in a moment of EXTREME disappointment hasn't said something we regret, something that we didn't really believe.

But Pauline Marois is different.
It isn't because she is a woman, it is because she is everything all the previous leaders of the PQ were not.

I can think of many words to describe her, but if I had to choose one, it is this:

"INDECENT"

Pauline Marois is the nastiest piece of work that ever led a Quebec political party, save Maurice Duplessis.
 
She is cruel megalomaniac, insensitive, power-hungry and ruthless.

Committed to separatism, she will use any and all means to achieve statehood, even if it means bankrupting Quebecers or destroying any semblance of a functioning society.
And yes, she abhors Anglos and Ethnics with the passion of the zealot class.

Worst of all, she is an idiot, who is out of touch with reality, who lived her entire professional life closeted in a world with like-minded fools.

Marois finds herself in a peculiar position, verging on a majority government carrying only her traditional separatist base, a situation that will allow her to win without giving a hoot or a holler for the two-thirds of Quebecers who will reject her and the PQ on election day.

With this incredible stroke of luck, Marois can play to this separatist minority, no pandering necessary to those other pesky taxpayers that finance this province.

And so Marois is happy to reveal her true self. Her campaign, only two weeks old, is a frightening overture to the horror show that is to come under a PQ government.

What are Madame Marois plans?

First of course, a beefing up of Bill 101, an act of faith which will serve to feed the insatiable appetite of vengeance and hatred of the English, a fundamental characteristic that drives language militants.
After all is said and done, Montreal will remain English and therein lies the rub. Students refused entry to English cegeps will make other arrangements.
What will the government do when they still choose to assimilate into the English community?

With Bill 101 out of the way, Marois has promised a Bill making official state secularism the law of the land.

The devil is in the details and already the PQ is at odds with itself as to how to go forward.
The banning of 'ostentatious' religious articles by public and para-public employees is unclear and obviously ill-thought out.
When asked by a reporter if a small Jewish skullcap is 'ostentatious' a PQ candidate said it was not, only to excuse himself later after having been corrected by the Marois clan.
Apparently, it is now official PQ policy that no matter how small, a kippah is always offensive.

Now there aren't many Sikhs, or orthodox Jews working at the license bureau, in fact I'll venture to say that the only people affected by this assault, will be the few Muslim women who wear hijabs, a headscarf, and who do work at the license bureau and many other government offices. These women are the true target of the law, as they are thoroughly loathed by PQers for wearing an article of faith which in the view of secular militants is an oppressive symbol of male dominance.

But hold on there!
What about a doctor at the Jewish General Hospital, where I have seen a few wear small kippahs.
As para-public employees, whose salary is paid for by the government, will they be included in the ban as well?
It seems a little strange to ban a skullcap in the Jewish General Hospital and I'm sure it will make for great worldwide press. I will let readers speculate as to what sarcastic headline would grace the Drudge Report.
And what about Parliament or city council, I know of one Montreal councillor who does wear a kippah to City Hall.

While the new law will supposedly ban ostentatious religious symbols, it will be silent on cultural symbols and so while a town councillor won't be allowed to enter City Hall wearing a kippah, he would be entitled to wear a Mexican sombrero or a Mickey Mouse hat on top of his head to cover up the affront to Quebec sensibilities.

What about those pesky symbols of Christianity, including the crucifix over the chair of the Speaker of the House of the National Assembly, Quebec's Parliament?

Marois dipsy-doodled around this one rather neatly, telling everyone with a straight face, that the crucifix must stay because it is part of our Quebec heritage!

A PQ candidate, Djemila Benhabib, a Muslim who is fiercly secular, took issue with the leader, saying that although it is PQ policy for the crucifix to stay, she would like to re-visit the issue within caucus.
She too was quickly called to order by Marois and forced to apologize for her remark.

The issue of secularism hit a nerve with the ever controversial and eminently quotable mayor of  Saguenay Jean Tremblay, who raged at Ms. Benhabib for attacking Quebec values, calling her a foreigner with an unpronounceable name, the best racist barb of the campaign so far! Link
Asked if he was against the proposed secularism law, the good mayor said that he had no problem with it, because it was only half discriminatory, against the half that isn't Christian!
Well-said Mr. Mayor!

The inherent problem with the law, other than the fact that it cannot survive the most basic constitutional challenge, is that it will set a dangerous undertone of intolerance.

If the Hijad is banned at the licence bureau, how long before problems occur in the workplace or on the street, where secular fanatics will attack the religiously observant.
I myself witnessed an incident in a Canadian Tire store where a female francophone senior citizen berated a cashier for wearing the hated 'symbol of oppression," to the point of making the young girl cry.

I promise you that if this law passes, it will be the most divisive law ever enacted in Quebec.

As for Quebec's debt problem, Marois doesn't see things the same way as most economists, her philosophy seems to be that as long as you can borrow, there is no problem.

In a radio interview, when a reluctant Marois was pushed to describe PQ policy towards the provincial debt, she said that lowering the debt would be impracticable.

In fact, she actually promised that a PQ government would INCREASE THE DEBT! (I'm not making this up)  Listen to the interview in French

(By the way, the projected deficit for Quebec set in this year's budget, is two billion dollars.
Two months into this fiscal year and Quebec is ALREADY $1.9 billion in the hole.)

Maybe she should watch this video....

See Quebec's debt grow in real time HERE

As for preparing the ground for sovereignty, Marois has said that she intends on making unreasonable and loud demands on Ottawa, demands that will raise federal/provincial tensions to new levels.
Her twisted logic being, that when Ottawa rejects these unreasonable requests, Quebecers will be insulted and vote for sovereignty.
How is that for a strategy?

We're not even at the halfway point in the election campaign and already we've been seeing la vrai nature de Pauline Marois.
It is a frightening spectre of hate, incompetence and political insanity.

A Pauline Marois PQ government will de-stabilize the province economically and politically. 
She has promised to wage war on the English, Ethnics and religiously observant. 
She has promised to transfer more wealth from those who earn it to those who consume without a commensurate contribution.
She has committed to drive Quebec further into debt.

Pauline Marois, like Emperor Nero will play the sovereignty fiddle while the province burns to the ground.

And who knows if this slash and burn policy isn't just part of a plan to advance her ultimate dream.
Perhaps she is ready to destroy Quebec society so that sovereignty will become a viable option to a frustrated, downtrodden and desperate people in a province brought to financial and social ruin.

It can happen.