Soyin Milka

Hi!

I decided I should write a short post about the results of tonight's provincial election in Qu�bec. I think it is necessary considering the increasing number of americans thinking about moving to Canada if Bush is reelected in 2004.

Tonight, the Liberal Party of Qu�bec won the provincial election, with a strong majority in parliament. It is important to note that our new prime minister, Jean Charest, leader of the provincial liberals, used to be the leader of the Federal Conservatives Party a few years ago. As such, he was one of the "opponents" of Jean Chr�tien, leader of the federal Liberal Party and prime minister of Canada.

I guess it's no wonder under such conditions that canadian politic can be confusing to foreigners. It's full of "Jean" and it can become difficult to keep track of who's conservative and who's liberal.

My new representant in parliament has many interesting life and work experiences. One of them is "Reine du Carnaval de Qu�bec". It's a winter carnival with a huge white mascot and an elected queen from a pool of duchesses. A little like a beauty pageant, but where beauty doesn't really matter because the queen is basically elected at random. Otherwise it would be sexist anyway!

I'm not gonna repeat what I already said in another thread about the separatist parties and the ill-fated conservatives and reformists alliance party (aka CRAP). But here is my warning to would be canadian citizens, from America or elsewhere: Make sure you keep your right to vote in your country of origin!

Canadian politic is fun tho

Soyin

Ut

Though if Americans want to come live in Quebec, they'd better speak French or stick to Montreal. As you know, we Qu�b�cois tend to frown on residents who don't speak French (unless they reside in Montreal where we don't really care).

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Now that the separatist Parti Qu�b�cois doesn't rule Quebec anymore, the federal government will have to do some serious efforts in federal-provincial relationships. After losing the 1995 referendum on independance, the Parti Qu�b�cois became a sitting duck for Ottawa who could now engage on a path of triumphant, arrogant centralization. No matter how loud and often the Parti Qu�b�cois protested against this, no one listened to them since everybody suspected them of demonizing the federal government.

With the Liberals in power in Quebec, the federal government won't get away with it so easily. Charest believes in Canadian federalism and if the federal-provincial relationship continues to be in shambles, the Qu�b�cois won't point fingers toward Quebec City but toward Ottawa. If the federals are careless about this, a single complaint from Charest about federal centralization could create more separatists than years of Parti Qu�b�cois rule ever did.

FoE

That was a pretty exciting election! I'm glad the grits won in the end, but i was kind hoping the ADQ would get more seats purely on the basis of having of a 32 year old with power.

And it's only a short while before we can get rid of Eves here in Ontario.

Comquirk

...and Lord here in New Brunswick, and Hamm home in Nova Scotia... The PCs gotta go.

Chuck

That's ok! What if my French is good, but not quite perfect? Would that be acceptable? Est-ce que �a marcherait?

I've always been a little bit confused about how Canada and Quebec work. How autonomous are the provinces? And is provincial (hm, poor choice of words. En hors de Montr�al?) Quebec pretty secular?

Of course, relocation would be contingent on L'Orch�stre Symphonique de Montr�al choosing an agreeable music director after Dutoit.

Sakpo

Worst premier in Canada:

To people outside Canada: Yes, this really is the premier and this is a real picture from when he was arrested in Hawaii for drunk driving, failure to drive on the right side of the road, driving in a bicycle lane, etc, while in office. A man who continues to lectures us about "personal responsibility." A typical multi millionaire far right asshole. Look at that smirk.

FoE

I think that Klein could give him a run for his money.

EarlFlynn

And yet, the enlightened people of Alberta KEEP VOTING FOR HIM...ARGH! :banghead: :banghead:

Mark

Ah I do like a good election

It sounds as if Canadian politics is quite dynamic. I heard that the conservatives were reduced to just 2 seats nationally once.

FoE

Yeah the federal Tories got the shaft a few years back. Unfortunately the right-side party that replaced them sucks much harder.

It's kinda funny when you think abou it. Ontario votes Liberal pretty much across the board in federal politics, but Tory in provincial politics.