The Voice of Comforting Reason

Fact is, he is an exceedingly reasonable man.  Unflappable to a degree, and more than a match for anyone who plans on confrontation and manipulation as a winning manoeuvre to prove that there is no meeting ground, no room for compromise and therefore the journey toward separation must be the final response.  If all else fails, then take that journey.

But, the Parti Quebecois through the words of its leader made it quite clear to the electorate of the Province of Quebec that its end game is to serve its population best by leading it into the promised land of sovereignty.  On the way to that goal other issues will required practical applications to solving social matters of great importance to the population.

Improved health care, increasing the number of day-care spaces, cancelling the promised increase in university and college tuition rates, job creation, and best of all, closing down the chrysotile asbestos industry that makes a mockery of social and humane responsibility to the outside world of less developed nations. 

The Parti Quebecois won by a fairly slender margin to take the reigns of a presumptive minority PQ government; just under a third of voters.  Many of its promises might have seemed attractive enough to certain portions of the electorate, but the ponderous turtle in the race to win, sovereignty, has had its day among the majority. 

So, though sick of three Liberal terms and the tradition of corruption, the Liberals still ran a close second. A mere four seats in the National Assembly separate them.  This is the traditional manner in which a leading political party is given a kick-in-the-pants toward realities, to remind them of their obligations to the electorate having slipped inexcusably, time-out is required for a change in attitude.

"I think it was pretty clear at the same time that they (Quebec voters) were denying any mandate to pursue the separation of Quebec from Canada.  It is certainly how we interpret it.  That is how the government in Quebec will be forced to interpret it one way or another", explained Prime Minister Harper of his interpretation of the Quebec election results.

"I think that anybody who is following this closely will see in these results that Quebec voted for change.  There is no mandate to pursue sovereignty.  I have already spoken with Mme. Marois.  Our priorities are still the same: the Canadian economy, the creation of jobs and long-term economic well-being."

"We are prepared to collaborate to pursue these objectives.  It is very clear, if you examine the results, that they will see this, too."  "They" may not quite see things that way.  "They" may still be committed to provoking incidental disagreements in demands and policy which will create the rift that Madame Marois hopes to set the stage for another referendum with.

Time is the essential ingredient in this new chess game that the separatists have once again initiated.