jdobbin Posted October 27, 2008 Report Share Posted October 27, 2008 http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories Quebec Premier Jean Charest will dissolve the legislature next week and call an election for Dec. 8, according to reports.TVA reported on Monday that Quebecers will be going to the polls before Christmas as Charest tries to portray his minority Liberal government as the only party that can deal with global economic uncertainty. It looks like Charest is looking to go before any other bad news in the economy starts to affect his government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdobbin Posted November 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Charest has called the election. http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories Quebec Premier Jean Charest has reportedly asked Quebec's lieutenant-governor to dissolve the legislature so that he can hold a provincial election on Dec. 8.The provincial Liberal leader is expected to make an announcement about the election at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A Dec. 8 election would leave Charest just over a month to convince voters that his government has the best plan for the Quebec economy. I know why he called the election. Six months to one year from now the worm might change for the worse. Still, it is a little risky since he will have to latch onto an issue that might appeal to Quebecers. Fear of what the other guy might do will only go so far. Charest will have to present a platform and some ideas that look workable and send a positive message. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyser Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Why doesnt he throw his hat in the Liberal Leader ring? His command of languages surpasses all others, he seems like a bright guy. Is it his Que roots that would slay him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Dancer Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Why doesnt he throw his hat in the Liberal Leader ring?His command of languages surpasses all others, he seems like a bright guy. Is it his Que roots that would slay him? Might be because he was a Rump PC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capricorn Posted November 5, 2008 Report Share Posted November 5, 2008 Why doesnt he throw his hat in the Liberal Leader ring? No way. Federally, Charest is a Conservative. Prior to entering provincial politics, Charest was actively involved in federal politics beginning in 1984 when he was elected as the Progressive Conservative Party MP for Sherbrooke. He assumed several significant roles: Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1984-86; Minister of State for Youth in 1986, the youngest cabinet minister in Canadian history; Minister of State for Fitness and Amateur Sport in 1988, though he resigned from cabinet in 1990 after improperly speaking to a judge about a case regarding the Canadian Track and Field Association; and Minister of the Environment in 1991.After Prime Minister Brian Mulroney resigned, Charest was one of two candidates to contest the leadership of the party – a bid he lost to Kim Campbell. Charest subsequently assumed the role of party leader after the PC Party was decimated in the 1993 federal election (it went from two back-to-back landslide majorities under Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to electing just two Members of Parliament), and worked to rebuild the Party. In his effort to rebuild the party, Charest set out on extensive cross-country consultations. http://www.mapleleafweb.com/voter-almanac/jean-charest In 1995, Charest became a federalist star in the Quebec sovereignty referendum campaign, waving his Canadian passport at rallies and trumpeting the country's virtues. He also took the Conservatives from two seats to 20 in the 1997 federal election.Charest's charisma was so strong that intense public and political pressure was put on him to become Quebec Liberal leader, which he did in 1998. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2008/...7315676-cp.html The ADQ's popularity is tanking and ADQ defectors are looking for a home. I think that's why he called this election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guyser Posted November 6, 2008 Report Share Posted November 6, 2008 Might be because he was a Rump PC? dancer and cap, I should have prefaced my post that I knew he was a PC'er before. I just thought enough time ahs lapsed that it would not be an issue. Hey maybe the west can vote for Lib thats really a PC'er underneath?..........nah, I guess not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capricorn Posted November 6, 2008 Report Share Posted November 6, 2008 dancer and cap, I should have prefaced my post that I knew he was a PC'er before. That's OK guyser. It gave me the opportunity to start getting into the swing of things 'cause I will be following the Quebec election campaign. You know, being a political junkie and all....Oh Oh...I just got a nasty sideways glance from my spouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August1991 Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 20% PLQ majority 60% PLQ minority 20% PQ minority --- Wait for updates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argus Posted November 7, 2008 Report Share Posted November 7, 2008 dancer and cap, I should have prefaced my post that I knew he was a PC'er before.I just thought enough time ahs lapsed that it would not be an issue. Hey maybe the west can vote for Lib thats really a PC'er underneath?..........nah, I guess not. Nobody with any brains wants the job, but this time around it's also restricted to an anglo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August1991 Posted November 23, 2008 Report Share Posted November 23, 2008 (edited) Update? It'll be a majority - likely Liberal (at 90% chance), and PQ (10% chance). No chance of a minority government since Dumont has thoroughly bungled his Official Opposition position. IOW, a Charest majority, and Harper should be happy. Quebec will have a federalist government. ---- The only question mark is the Caisse. I wonder how this will play, and whether it will affect federal politics. Do English Canadians know of the CPPIB and how much it has lost? Do they know of Richard Guay? I suspect that they don't. In federal Canada Ottawa, French-Canadians are often clueless, out-of-the-loop. But in life in general, English Canadians are usually slow to get it. French Canadians understand faster and better the world in general. Edited November 23, 2008 by August1991 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmax Posted November 25, 2008 Report Share Posted November 25, 2008 Update?It'll be a majority - likely Liberal (at 90% chance), and PQ (10% chance). No chance of a minority government since Dumont has thoroughly bungled his Official Opposition position. IOW, a Charest majority, and Harper should be happy. Quebec will have a federalist government. ---- The only question mark is the Caisse. I wonder how this will play, and whether it will affect federal politics. Do English Canadians know of the CPPIB and how much it has lost? Do they know of Richard Guay? I suspect that they don't. In federal Canada Ottawa, French-Canadians are often clueless, out-of-the-loop. But in life in general, English Canadians are usually slow to get it. French Canadians understand faster and better the world in general. What's happened to the ADQ? What do you mean bungled through Official Opposition? What want wrong or what happened..... ? Inquiring minds want to know.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August1991 Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 What's happened to the ADQ? What do you mean bungled through Official Opposition? What want wrong or what happened..... ? Inquiring minds want to know....For the past year or so, Dumont and the ADQ didn't perform the role of Opposition. (If I make a comparison to federal politics, the ADQ was like Verner or Ambrose - underwhelming.)I thought Dumont did very well in the debate last night but I questioned my own judgment. In general, I thought Stephane Bureau (the moderator) was the real loser because he lost control of the debate. This I reckoned favoured Charest since most people stopped watching because of the confusion. Conversations today however supported my idea that Dumont made a favourable impression. He was not so facile or sharp-witted as usual. The next polls will tell the story. If the ADQ can rise to 18% or so, then Charest's majority will be threatened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilber Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Hey maybe the west can vote for Lib thats really a PC'er underneath?..........nah, I guess not. They did, David Emerson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August1991 Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 (edited) The latest polls have the ADQ at 15% so the Liberals should have a comfortable majority. Pauline Marois is polling at 29% which is lower than the sovereignist option (low 30s - Landry in 2003 got 33%) ). This has always surprised me. Marois is intelligent and experienced and despite her reputation as a snob, diva, she in fact is from humble origins and is one of few politicians in Quebec who sent her kids to public schools. I think it's kind of like the Hillary Clinton effect: it's hard for a woman in politics. Anyway, Marois is not doing well but the PQ will form the official opposition. I think the results will be similar to 2003: 76 Lib, 45 PQ and 4 ADQ. The ADQ may do better than that - perhaps as many as 10, drawing from both the Libs and PQ. Incidentally, Charest will be the first Quebec PM to win a third election in a row since Duplessis. And Charest is going to be one cynical bast**d after this election. He can almost do anything or say anything and people will still vote for him. ---- There has been discussion about whether federal politics have had any impact on the Quebec election. I don't think so. Charest wisely stayed out of that mess. The Bloc Québécois does not speak for all Quebecers, and not all Quebecers are separatists. When Harper is criticizing separatists, he`s not engaging in Quebec bashing. If Stephen Harper has problems in Quebec (and he does), this is not the cause. Stephen Harper: «Je respecte le droit du Bloc québécois de poursuivre sa perspective et je suis prêt à faire des accommodements avec les demandes du Bloc lorsqu’elles sont compatibles avec les principes de notre parti. Mais comme premier ministre, je ne me suis jamais mis dans une position où je dépends du Bloc québécois pour mon mandat de gouverner le pays.» Link to good Pratte/Marissal discussion on this topic Edited December 6, 2008 by August1991 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capricorn Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I find Quebecers have been very astute and calculating in their politics. Proof is, they elect the Bloc federally to work for a bigger piece of the federal financial pie and provincially they elect a federalist party in an act to thwart separation from Canada. All bases are covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tamtam10 Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I found a really useful chart that outlines the different party's stances on the major issues regarding the upcoming election. It has helped me in making my voting decision: Quebec Issue Chart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August1991 Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Last minute prediction for seat totals: PLQ 79 PQ 39 ADQ 7 I think I have probably underestimated the PQ but I reckon that QS might steal some votes and shift those seats to the PLQ. Charest will win big tomight. I found a really useful chart that outlines the different party's stances on the major issues regarding the upcoming election. It has helped me in making my voting decision: Quebec Issue Chart If you like this sort of thing, here's a link to Hill+Knowlton's Quebec election calculator. It underestimates the ADQ, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallc Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 If anyone is watching, its a Liberal majority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallc Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Or maybe not quite??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabee Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 As of 9;10 pm PLC; 67 PQ: 50 ADQ: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallc Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 It's a majority, though not as big as was thought. They're vote percentage wasn't as good as people thought it would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seabee Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Update, at 9:41 PM PLQ: 63 PQ: 54 ADQ: 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punked Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 (edited) It will be close to a majority but not the run away predicted. Edited December 9, 2008 by punked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
August1991 Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 If anyone is watching, its a Liberal majority.Just barely.The splits have gone to the PQ and I think the cold weather (low turn out) also favoured the PQ. Nevertheless, the PLQ seems to be getting around 42% whereas the the PQ is getting around 35%. IOW, the PLQ is doing worse than I thought it would and the PQ is doing better. So, this has not be such a good night for Charest and Marois will be happy. No doubt, people are going to blame Stephen Harper for this turn of events. ---- BTW, Amir Khadr, Quebec's most famous 9/11 truthie, looks to be elected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smallc Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 It was a number of factors. The weather, Ottawa, apathy. They all played against the Liberals in the last few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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