Yves Seguin to Conservatives?

[August1991]

The federal Conservative Party is setting its sights on former Quebec finance minister Yves Seguin.

Montreal Gazette

He'd run against Lapierre in Outremont. He'd also make a good Finance Minister.

[Newfie Canadian]

By the time it's all said and done August, the CPC could probably run a dog as a candidate and beat Lapierre.

According to what I could find, Lapierre won by 2945 over the Bloc candidate. They were followed by the NDP and then the Con candidate.

1)What are the chances Yves Seguin will run for the CPC as opposed to the PQ? As I understand in the article, he's being wooed by all.

2) I also noticed that Outremont has been Liberal in the last few elections, in other words possibly a federalist riding (if there is such a thing). If he becomes the candidate, would his provincial experience and notoriety be enough to beat the Bloc?

I'm assuming of course that Lapierre is history.

[Bakunin]

Yves séguin won't... the last time i read about him, he looked more like a sovreignist than anything else. I doubt harper want a sovreignist as finance minister. Thats why the PLQ don't want him too to replace charest.

[August1991]

I thought Séguin was an accountant but I realize he`s a tax lawyer. Here's his official bio and Radio-Canada bio. He was Minister of Revenue under Bourassa.

I would not describe Séguin as a sovereigntist. He's rather what the Americans would call "states-rights" or I guess we would call an autonomist. He's also strongly in favour of cutting taxes and believes government is simply too large. I think he was behind Charest's "re-engineering" ideas.

I suspect that Séguin didn't get along with Charest. Séguin is cerebral and Charest is loosey-goosey. (Frankly, I think Charest is a bit of a flake but that's just an opinion.)

IOW, Séguin would probably get along well with Harper. They're both serious, earnest, and about the same generation.

The fact that this rumour appears in The Gazette is perhaps the real story. If Séguin wants to put a stop to it, all he has to do is put out a press release.

Mulroney is in the hospital but I'll bet he's got a phone by his bed.

[Bakunin]

I would not describe Séguin as a sovereigntist. He's rather what the Americans would call "states-rights" or I guess we would call an autonomist. He's also strongly in favour of cutting taxes and believes government is simply too large. I think he was behind Charest's "re-engineering" ideas.

I wouldn't call him an autonomist cause its an undefined adq terms but remember when he was quebec finance minister he said the federal was like dracula and (Il voulait que le québec soit percepteur de ses impôts.) I think the problem is that he is not the kind of guy like fournier who focus on doing what the prime minister tell him, séguin do what he thing is best for the population and i would have a hard time see a french quebecers alone in the conservative do whats best for canada and not what hes told to do

[August1991]

séguin do what he thing is best for the population and i would have a hard time see a french quebecers alone in the conservative do whats best for canada and not what hes told to do

Séguin got along with Bourassa but he didn`t get along with Charest. I draw the conclusion that it`s Charest`s fault, not Séguin`s.

But who knows.

Landry brought Séguin in for the "fiscal imbalance" study. Now, to be honest, Andrew Coyne rightly calls the idea a "myth" or rather, a new argument to justify giving federal tax revenues to the provinces.

Bakunin, you may be right on one point. If Séguin is thinking about this, he would be a lone Quebecer at the table. But maybe he feels like an outsider.

[Guest eureka]

I find it almost amusing that you now admit that "to be honest" Andrew Cohen says that the fiscal imbalance is a myth. I have been saying, and posting, that for a long time.

The fiscal imbalance has never been more than an atteompt to shore up provincial powers and to divert blame to Ottawa for provincial irresponsibility.

Seguin may not be a flake. He is, however, thoroughly dishonest.

[Bakunin]

I find it almost amusing that you now admit that "to be honest" Andrew Cohen says that the fiscal imbalance is a myth. I have been saying, and posting, that for a long time.

The fiscal imbalance has never been more than an atteompt to shore up provincial powers and to divert blame to Ottawa for provincial irresponsibility.

Seguin may not be a flake. He is, however, thoroughly dishonest.

If there is 1 politician i would trust, it would be Yves Seguin...

I just can't beleive that some people claim there is no fiscal imbalance when its proven statistically that the federal government drastically cut transfer for healthcare without giving more taxes point to the province.

[Guest eureka]

We have been through that one over and over, Bakunin. You typify the propaganda soaked Quebecker who would never see a fact that did not come from the PQ machine.

[August1991]

I just can't beleive that some people claim there is no fiscal imbalance when its proven statistically that the federal government drastically cut transfer for healthcare without giving more taxes point to the province.

Andrew Coyne's point is that nothing stops the Quebec government from raising income taxes, sales taxes or virtually any other kind of tax if it wants more revenues.

If the federal government has decided to pay back its debts or use the money for Canadian flags rather than give money to the provinces, then that's its choice. Canadians have only to choose a different federal government.

At most, the Quebec government could argue that the federal government forces Quebec to have, for example, a State health system but doesn't provide funding. That's not an issue though because the Quebec public seems to want State health care.

I think the correct term would be "fiscal incoherence" rather than "fiscal imbalance". All three levels of government tax citizens any way they can.

You typify the propaganda soaked Quebecker who would never see a fact that did not come from the PQ machine.

That's nonsense, eureka. Seguin is a Liberal.

I find it almost amusing that you now admit that "to be honest" Andrew Cohen says that the fiscal imbalance is a myth. I have been saying, and posting, that for a long time.

The fiscal imbalance has never been more than an atteompt to shore up provincial powers and to divert blame to Ottawa for provincial irresponsibility.

The provinces want more money. I don't blame them since I'd like more money too.

[Big Blue Machine]

It would be good if he joins because the Conservatives need more high level Quebec people in the party.

[Bakunin]

Andrew Coyne's point is that nothing stops the Quebec government from raising income taxes, sales taxes or virtually any other kind of tax if it wants more revenues.

If the federal government has decided to pay back its debts or use the money for Canadian flags rather than give money to the provinces, then that's its choice.  Canadians have only to choose a different federal government.

In theory it true would be true if all the province would higher their income taxe at the same time each time the federal government decide to do massive cuts in its spending but in reality it wont happend. Its a little bit like the NHL players that say they don't want salary cap and say the team owners only have to give less money to the player in a totally free market. You can say the citizen can vote for another government if they doesnt like what they see but you know how politics work... nothing is rationnal, evrything is based on perception. And for that we would need to have a democracy... right now the only way i think we could have a democracy is by creating 3-4 more liberal federal party....

At most, the Quebec government could argue that the federal government forces Quebec to have, for example,  a State health system but doesn't provide funding.  That's not an issue though because the Quebec public seems to want State health care.

I think the correct term would be "fiscal incoherence" rather than "fiscal imbalance". All three levels of government tax citizens any way they can.

Why would fiscal incoherence would be a better word that fiscal imbalance ? the fact that a province can taxe more its citizen doesnt make the whole thing less unbalanced. I would say its incoherent and unbalanced...

Incoherent cause it make the province budget unstable cause we never know when the federal government will cut more. When they cut it unbalance, and the fact that they can do that is incoherent.

The federal government just exploited a hole in the constitution at its advantage to look like if it was the only government that can manage a budget without deficit and take control of the province and specially quebec wich is the big looser in all this cause its the more taxed province.

[Guest eureka]

Did I say Seguin was not a Liberal? How does that excuse Bakunin's refusal to look at tis with an open mind?

Bakunin, we have exchanged messages before about this. The Provinces did get tax points when the CH transfers were changed to a block transfer without strings. Quebec also got money that the other provinces did not and Parizeau's head swelled even more as he crowed about outmanoeuvring the federal government.

The provinces did not use the tax points for healthcare.

There is no fiscal imbalance and the "incoherence" is the jurisdictional one. The Provinces spend more now as a proportion of GDP than in any other federation in the world: three times as much as the American states do, in fact. The provinces spend as much as the federal government.

That is a situation that exists nowhere but Canada and it is because, as I have said over and over, of a jurisdictional imbalance not a fiscal one. The provinces are too powerful and have responsibilities that are national or federal in evry other society on earth.

Frankly, I am sick of hearing Quebec nationalists whining about this. and, I am sick of watching the leaders of other provinces "profiting" by Quebec's intransigence as they gather federal powers to themselves.

This country is being lost by default and by apathy of the English Canadians who will not stir themselves to stop the rot that is spreading from Quebec.

[Bakunin]

How do you think paul martin got rid of the deficit ?

[August1991]

L'ancien ministre Séguin ne sera pas à l'Assemblée nationale pour la présentation du prochain budget. «Je ne veux pas jouer le rôle de la belle-mère», résume-t-il. «Je m'apprête également à me retirer complètement de la politique», laisse-t-il tomber, niant qu'il puisse être sensible aux appels du pied des conservateurs fédéraux à la veille des élections.

Il regrette sa décision de revenir dans l'arène comme candidat du PLQ il y a deux ans. «Pour moi, la page de la politique est tournée. Je vais certainement partir. Je pensais le faire pour Pâques, mais j'avais des dossiers à finir. Ma démission est une question de semaines, en juin au plus tard», précise l'ancien ministre des Finances.

La Presse

Well, that end's that rumour.