Poor Quebec Liberal Party… After its historic October 3 defeat, what could be more than wishing it a new leader as soon as possible?
Already unrecognizable with the four scorched-earth years of the Couillard-Barrette tandem and the brief but painful brace of Dominique Anglade, the Liberal troops insist they don’t get the gist.
Despite maintaining its official opposition status, the PLQ still does not understand that it has been reduced to 14% of the vote because almost all Francophones have simply turned their backs on it. Point.
The PLQ distances itself
However, Marc Tanguay, their interim leader, continues to distance themselves from the rest of the Quebec political class over the use of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms’s notwithstanding clause.
Which, I wrote Wednesday, is nevertheless the last bulwark capable of protecting the small political balance of power that still exists in Quebec within Canada.
Says Marc Tanguay: “To do it in a total and preventive way, [comme l’a fait le gouvernement Legault avec ses lois 21 sur la laïcité et 96 sur la langue française]it doesn’t last”.
Incidentally, that is also the position of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has been trying to put the same question directly to the Supreme Court for several months.
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The no-objection clause is perhaps not the most mobilizing political issue in Quebec. Far from there. Nonetheless, it remains an important instrument of parliamentary sovereignty for any government. Whether blue, red or colorful.
The PLQ certainly has every right to reject Bill 21. In fact, contrary to what is being said, support for this law in Quebec is far from unanimous. Including among French speakers.
But from there to wanting to weaken the last bulwark of Quebec’s balance of power in Canada, liberals would be well advised to think more carefully…
