Harper in Quebec

[August1991]

I didn't see Le Soleil's take but I read the front page La Presse article, above the fold, leading to an inside completion. A story by Joël-Denis Bellavance, not translated CP. Unfortunately, neither are Internet articles so I can't provide a link.

Harper hit all the right points - fiscal imbalance, respect of provinicial rights, fear campaign, the conscription line was dead on for older people. Even the nature of the visite-éclair was right. The line about this being a Liberal scandal works really well. If memory serves, there was no mention of abortion (unlike English Canada's current take on Harper).

French Quebec is intrigued, confused, frightened with Harper.

Harper could have added his "Calgary French accent line" and said that, as a non-Quebecer, he was angered to see Quebec`s reputation hurt by this scandal. "I have explained to my fellow Albertans that this is not Quebec..."

Most Quebecers don't know Harper at all. Some say he's a whacko Bush religious fanatic. For the moment, he's still a bloke.

Harper will never win votes in Quebec on his own. But he can get support if he has an organization on the ground. And if he ensures that he will never do anything against Quebec interests. He should tell Quebecers that he takes to heart very, very seriously the right of a minority to exist - indeed, it is the heart of his view of life. He should ask them whether English PMs or French PMs have better served their interests.

[JohnMathew2]

Yes I Agree To Make Canada Work We need a PM that can pull the Whole Country together--Not Fragment it and Ruin all the Work that was Done Keeping it all Together!