Now going on Lou Dobbs' show, that's completely different
Gilles Duceppe will no doubt say a lot of really dumb things on his "I Hate Canada Cross-Canada Tour". But so far, the dumbest comments have come from those reacting to it. First up, the NDP:
So their argument is basically that you should never listen to ideas from people you disagree with. That those on the right will never have anything of value to say. Way to be open minded Jack.
Next up, Michael Ignatieff:
Ahh, the paradoxical Bloc Quebecois. Democratically elected when you need their support for a budget to pass or a coalition government. But treasonous troublemakers when you disagree with them.
Either these guys are legitimate assholes we hate, or they're illegitimate assholes we hate. Can we just pick one and stick with it?
The NDP, meanwhile, is taking issue with Mr. Duceppe’s tour – and his meeting with Mr. Flanagan. “While the Bloc Quebecois markets itself as a progressive
party, Mr. Duceppe will be meeting today with members of the C.D. Howe Institute, a prominent right-wing think-tank and next week with that paragon of progressive Canada: former Harper adviser Tom Flanagan,” the NDP said in a statement.
So their argument is basically that you should never listen to ideas from people you disagree with. That those on the right will never have anything of value to say. Way to be open minded Jack.
Next up, Michael Ignatieff:
"Ask yourselves a question," Ignatieff said in a speech to the Mirabel Chamber of Commerce and Industry: "Does a Bloc MP have an interest in settling issues?
"I think their first interest is to see to it that problems do not get solved so they can say the country does not work. This is a policy that is against citizens rather than for citizens. It is petty, partisan politics being done on your backs."
Ahh, the paradoxical Bloc Quebecois. Democratically elected when you need their support for a budget to pass or a coalition government. But treasonous troublemakers when you disagree with them.
Either these guys are legitimate assholes we hate, or they're illegitimate assholes we hate. Can we just pick one and stick with it?
posted by calgarygrit at
7:45 p.m.
7 Comments:
Who, Dan. You've kind of lost the plot.
First, you say shame on Jack Layton for not listening to other people, and then you chide the Liberals for not taking an ad hominem approach to the proposals of the Bloc Quebecois?
You can't have it both ways, buddy. Which is it, you?
By
Gauntlet, at 8:43 p.m.
Ouch! Great post, CG.
By
Peter Jay, at 12:34 a.m.
The dirty little secret of Canadian politics is most on the centre-left would vote for a federalist party headed by Gilles Duceppe. Hence the spleen from the other parties.
By
Greg, at 1:34 p.m.
Great post, mister!
I think Gauntlet missed the point you're making in regards to the Liberals - I think you're on the money.
By
Jacques Beau Vert, at 11:41 a.m.
To be fair to the other Party leaders, I think the problem is personal inconsistency with regard to the Bloq, not diversity among their own approaches to it.
As a political entity on the federal stage, the Bloq have a large number of problems, not least of which is that they are committed to the breakup of Confederation. But they do currently hold seats which can support (or decline to support) Government proposals.
If you judge your own values only by comparison against the values of those you despise, you're going to confound yourself pretty quickly. Better to know right from wrong, and let the others be.
By
Paul, at 4:22 p.m.
"The dirty little secret of Canadian politics is most on the centre-left would vote for a federalist party headed by Gilles Duceppe. Hence the spleen from the other parties."
They might vote for such a party once, but they wouldn't do it twice. Left-leaning Canadians that think of separatists as allies fail to understand the nature of Quebec nationalism.
The basic deal of a grand leftist-nationalist coalition would have to be more power to the provinces (especially Quebec). However, the governments of each English-speaking province are generally more right wing than the national government on any given day. Since the provinces control most social spending in Canada, decentralization would shift most Canadians to the right.
Secondly, Quebec nationalists are not really of the same tradition as the anglo left. There is an ugly ethnic nationalism lurking beneath a lot of their policies which is fundamentally at odds with the tolerance of the Canadian left. Moreover some social programs (like universal healthcare) are not sacrosanct in Quebec.
Thirdly, the single most reliable constituency for the Canadian left are Anglo Montrealers, who are generally hardline federalists. Nothing would scare them into voting Conservative like the emergence of a left wing nationalist party.
By
french wedding cat, at 8:38 p.m.
Wow H2H - a great comment, as usual.
By
Robert Vollman, at 10:36 a.m.
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