Thursday, September 26, 2019

Be Careful


A year ago, the Conservatives were predicting a juggernaut. Chantal Hebert writes:

Maclean’s December 2018 issue captured the belligerent spirit of the time with a cover picture featuring Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba premiers Doug Ford, Scott Moe and Brian Pallister along with then-would-be Alberta premier Jason Kenney and federal leader Andrew Scheer.
The intention was to put Canada on notice that a Conservative juggernaut was set to crush Trudeau and his climate agenda. The various Conservative leaders were, according to the caption, “spoiling for fight.”

But the times -- and things -- have changed:

At this juncture in the campaign, the Conservative premiers have mostly turned into as many ghosts haunting Scheer’s bid for federal power.
The more they rattle their chains, the more they risk spooking voters into the Liberal fold.
Since the election was called, Scheer spent a lot of time in Ontario but never on a stage with Ford.
A few weeks ago, Saskatchewan’s Moe declared he would not endorse any of the federal parties. The Conservative Party of Canada’s (CPC) war room had reportedly not seen that coming especially since Scheer’s seat is in the province but in the current context it could not have caused it a lot of anguish.

And, in Quebec, it's not the Conservatives who are on the rise. It's the Bloc Quebecois:

The Léger poll found the sovereigntist party in first place among francophone voters — three points ahead of the Liberals and five points ahead of the CPC.
Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has so far run the most efficient Quebec campaign. Premier François Legault — by making demands on immigration and bill 21 that no national party can wholly embrace — has smoothed the Bloc’s path to gains next month.
The prospect that the Bloc could hold the balance of power in a minority Parliament is no longer an abstraction.

Some of us have hoped that the Greens will hold the balance of power. But that balance could turn out much differently than we hoped.

The old adage, "Be careful what you wish for," still holds true.

Image: www.blocquebecois.org

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

No doubt they wish to reiterate Quebec's decision to proclaim Bill 21 using the notwithstanding clause to show us all how advanced they are in the muticultural stakes. France, I believe, does the same thing as Bill 21, and also has its ring of Muslim enclaves around Paris beyond the suburbs, where nobody has a job and riots regularly in the annual car burning show. Great way they've handled things in entirely the incorrect manner over there. But that's unassailable French logic for you.

I imagine Kenney examines the PQ rise in detail, like any good little despot would. Of course, today he was saying how much the USA appreciated a steady supply of gargleable dilbit and Canada should supply it, he said in his best winsome glib manner. Alberta denies global warming the same way Quebec denies individuality to its public employees. Eyes fully shut. We are such a long way up sh!t creek, we cannot paddle back environmentally yet Kenney is still blithely trying to commit my suicide on his behalf.

BM

Owen Gray said...

Kenny's movement from one party to another is evidence that he is a political opportunist, BM. Your welfare is not his concern.

rumleyfips said...

So now Sheer-idiocy treats the peemies like crazy aunts that have to be kept locked in the attic. Classy.

Owen Gray said...

I've written that I'm making no predictions, rumley. But I have a premonition that, if Scheer becomes prime minister, things will not end well.

the salamander said...

.. I think we all knew a centipede could take out Ms Notely - for no good or real reason I might add.. but that's how toxic 'Public Service in Alberta has become.. sadly it was Jason Kenney.. Mr 'Opportunist & CarpetBagger Of The Year' .. it was as pre-ordained as Kathleen Wynne crashing and burning. The only question was who would collect the political booty.. I predicted 4 bitter years for Alberta - the same for Ontario - and here we are .. essentially astonished by the ferocity of the hyperpartisan ideology.. the vindictive Trumpian trashing of any 'Law' passed, refined, defined by a preceding Government.. the intrusian by hyperpartisan 'war room' mentality into Science, Education, Medicine.. Its 'scorched earth' trampling upon getting the gift of a majority.. and Harper led the way like the mad Pied Piper.. I just have great difficulty connecting this to 'public service'.. don"t recall it being part of the job description.. or why we pay them or pension them.. but 'nobody will lose their jobs' .. THE GREAT EDUCATOR has spoken

Owen Gray said...

Donald Trump's recent travails make it crystal clear that these days, sal, public service is all about self service.