Getting It Right

She is intent on dragging Quebec, kicking and whining, out of Confederation and into national sovereignty, finally achieving full separation from that blighted anglosphere called Canada.  Her display of flashes of lurid xenophobia, socialism and creeping racism peg her as the bottom-sweepings of the Quebec separatist movement.  With her as premier, Quebec will reflect the qualities the Parti Quebecois holds most dear.

The French language must be shielded with an iron curtain that will not permit English to leak through despoiling the purity of French speech.  Quebec separatist elites may educate their offspring in English ensuring they remain competitive in the world outside the province, but this is a privilege that will be denied all others unworthy of those forbidden delights.

English-language CEGEPs will be off-course to allophone and Francophone students, those slaving away in public institutions can place their distinctive ethno-religio symbols on a high, high shelf and prepare to resent the sole appearance of crucifixes which celebrate Quebec's distinctive heritage.  Quebec university students will be delighted at a promise of free tuition as a reward for upsetting the populace through intimidation tactics.

And the voters who plan to squeeze Pauline Marois through to a minority government will wait with bated breath to see her challenge the unions to ever greater demands she will be pleased to accept, while she somehow manages to separate them from the talons of organized crime, and clean up the corruption that the province has been bathed in for far too long.

Condemn her?  Perish the thought. She did get one thing right.  The Parti Quebecois, once in the business of running the government again will cancel the $58-million loan Jean Charest's Liberal government promised to the asbestos industry.  And Ms. Marois is prepared to aid the few hundred workers in Asbestos in diversifying the regional economy.

"All the trends are headed there.  We know the health studies illustrate that.  We can still spend an hour or two with (workers) to correctly clean up the file and take the decisions that need to be taken and show people that they can count on a PQ government because the financial resources will be there for diversifying the region."

Well now, good on her.  The chrysotile asbestos industry in Quebec is an embarrassment to a civilized society, with the knowledge of the health dangers involved for workers handling the material, as a carcinogen.  It is long overdue that it be put to rest.  Once seen as a valuable resource and used extensively as a fire retardant and insulating agent, it is now recognized worldwide as a deadly commodity.

So the PQ will invest in diversifying the region to ensure that several hundred workers will be employed in something other than asbestos extraction.  And the PQ will offer free tuition to university students.  And the PQ will give sober second thought to potential investors in the Province fearing French-language restrictions impacting on their communication modes.  And the PQ will offend minorities and religious, encouraging them to leave the province.

And with separation, the PQ will suddenly find itself administering a province with far less disposable income to continue their proud social programs when transfer payments suddenly drop off.  Good luck on that file, Madam.