First up, Dominic LeBlanc makes some news while attending the Liberal caucus meetings in Montebello: “Trudeau, LeBlanc front runner prospective candidates in Liberal leadership race.” “I’ve thought long and hard, as a number of other people have I’m sure, about whether I’m the best person at this time to assume
Continue readingTag: Jean Charest
Calgary Grit: Jean Charest Exits on Top
The headlines haven’t been kind to the outgoing Premier this morning: Jean Charest’s luck finally runs out, Charest’s Gamble Costs Liberals, Charest Has Only Himself To Blame For Quebec Election Defeat. I suspect many of these post-mortems were written before the votes rolled in last night, because the end result
Continue readingImpolitical: Quebec election morning after
What a tremendously shocking incident at the PQ victory rally last night. To see a death at a political rally, other gun injuries and a fire set…that’s a truly shaking thing for Canadians. And what an incredibly close result. Notably, just 0.7% separated the PQ’s lead at 31.9% over the
Continue readingBigCityLib Strikes Back: Quebec Votes
The National Post is the only place so far that has a graphic representation of the vote breakdown. As in the case of Alberta, the pollsters seemed to have missed a last minute swing away from the party favored to win. Maybe for the same reason, too. Marois ran a profoundly xenophobic campaign and
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Post-Confederate Albertans in Ottawa, the PQ in Quebec: Can Canada afford a national leader with no national vision?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper takes note of Quebec’s aspirations. Alberta politicians may not be exactly as illustrated. Below: Mr. Harper exhibiting the post-Confederation Alberta zeitgeist (Calgary Herald photo); PQ Leader Pauline Marois. With the PQ back in power in Quebec City, no matter how tenuously, one prays Stephen Harper can
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Quebec Votes
Pauline Marois, perhaps Quebec’s first female Premier, tells a young girl that she too could one day run for office…assuming she speaks French, of course. The polls have closed across the Nation of Quebec. The campaign started as a truly unpredictable three-way race. It wasn’t hard to imagine a scenario
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Quebec Votes Tonight
Today, Quebecers head to the polls, ready to elect what may be the least scary PQ government in the province’s history. That’s not a commentary on Marois, who is running on a disgustingly xenophobic platform. But even if the PQ gets a majority, it will be a majority built on
Continue readingSong of the Watermelon: Quebection Projection
Apparently I haven’t learned my lesson since predicting a Peggy Nash victory in this year’s NDP leadership race. I may not have the statistical wherewithal or ear-to-the-ground perspicacity of an Eric Grenier, but I cannot resist the peculiar temptation — that siren song that has marked the downfall of politicos
Continue readingArt Threat: Punk rock video conveys the energy of Quebec’s Carré rouge
A Montreal punk rock band recently released “>Carré rouge, a fast-paced music video inspired by classic punk sounds, and carried by collective chants from the massive street demonstrations sparked by the historic Quebec student strike. “Loi spéciale, refusé! À qui la rue? À nous la rue! Carré rouge! Carré rouge!
Continue readingCuriosityCat: Why Quebec should give Charest the pink slip on Tuesday
Jean Charest and his Liberals have been a relatively good government for the past nine years, but it is time for that province to elect a new Premier with a new agenda. Charest has done many things that are positive. His Quebec North policy is the right thing for Quebec.
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Your Guess is as Good as Mine
Three parties entered the Quebec election with a chance to win, and while the PQ appears to be stumbling to victory, it’s nearly impossible to predict what will happen on Tuesday. Of course, that’s not stopping anyone. La Presse (thanks to CROP) projects a PQ minority, while the National Post
Continue readingLeftist Jab: The Fallout of Charest vs Marois
A sovereignty debate is a dish best served stale Tonight was reminiscent of every Quebecers worst memories of large family gatherings when the topic of politics was raised and everyone was liquored up as we were served up a head to head debate between Premier Jean Charest of the Liberal
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Jean Charest’s word is "worthless"
Marc Bellemare, Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest’s former justice minister, said at a press conference in Sherbrooke Friday that he realized that the word of Jean Charest was “worthless” and that for Jean Charest, “the interests of Liberal Party friends came before those of Quebecers.” Yet another reason to not
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Jean Charest’s word is "worthless"
Marc Bellemare, Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest’s former justice minister, said at a press conference in Sherbrooke Friday that he realized that the word of Jean Charest was “worthless” and that for Jean Charest, “the interests of Liberal Party fr…
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Jean Charest’s word is "worthless"
Marc Bellemare, Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest’s former justice minister, said at a press conference in Sherbrooke Friday that he realized that the word of Jean Charest was “worthless” and that for Jean Charest, “the interests of Liberal Party friends came before those of Quebecers.” Yet another reason to not
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Il (Jean Charest) me dit – Parodie de Elle me dit – Mika
As election day, September 4, 2012, fast approaches in Quebec, I think it’s appropriate to remind my fellow citizens of the horrendous leadership the province has had to undergo under Premier Jean Charest. And this I do…with a song, a parody of Mika’s “Elle me dit,” and with the lyrics
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Il (Jean Charest) me dit – Parodie de Elle me dit – Mika
As election day, September 4, 2012, fast approaches in Quebec, I think it’s appropriate to remind my fellow citizens of the horrendous leadership the province has had to undergo under Premier Jean Charest. And this I do…with a song, a parody of Mika’…
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: Il (Jean Charest) me dit – Parodie de Elle me dit – Mika
As election day, September 4, 2012, fast approaches in Quebec, I think it’s appropriate to remind my fellow citizens of the horrendous leadership the province has had to undergo under Premier Jean Charest. And this I do…with a song, a parody of Mika’s “Elle me dit,” and with the lyrics
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Big Daddy and the Quebec Election
Well there he was the old smoothie, on day one of the campaign, sitting in his comfy chair in his big blue bus. The one with the slogan For Quebec. Trying to explain in his Big Daddy knows best way, why he called a summer election. Because you know, he's
Continue readingCalgary Grit: Quebec Votes
Jean Charest has been around forever. He’s the longest serving Quebec Premier since Maurice Duplesis, and has been PLQ leader for over 14 years. Older Quebecers no doubt remember him from his role on the “Non” campaign in 1995, and his time as a curly haired Cabinet Minister in the
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