54% for sovreignty

[Bakunin]

Bloc Leader won't take poll results 'for granted'

CTV.ca News Staff

Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said he will not take Quebecer support for granted, in response to a poll that indicates sponsorship scandal controversy is fuelling a resurgence of separatist sentiment in Quebec.

"Certainly we will be working very, very hard to warrant the support of the people but we don't take anything for granted," Duceppe told reporters in French.

Support for sovereignty has hit a seven-year high in Quebec, say the pollsters behind the just-released Leger Marketing survey conducted for The Globe and Mail and Le Devoir.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Paul Martin said Quebecers should not turn their backs on Canada out of disgust for the allegations of corruption they hear at the Gomery inquiry.

"The answer to the problems we see in the sponsorship program will not find its solution in separation. The solution to separation is a Canada that works," Martin told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday.

When asked whether they would support sovereignty based on an economic and political partnership with the rest of Canada -- the same question asked in the Oct. 30, 1995, referendum that spurred the now-defunct sponsorship program -- 54 per cent said they would.

Duceppe said Bloc members must not take it for granted that they have voter support.

"I think the Liberals acted like that last year, and you see the results," he said in English.

According to the survey of Quebec voters, 76 per cent of voters feel betrayed by the actions of former prime minister Jean Chretien and the federal Liberals in the years since the referendum.

According to pollster Jean-Marc Léger, that opinion was even strong among proclaimed federalists.

"The sponsorship program, which contributed to undermining support for sovereignty between 1997 and 2002, is now having the opposite effect," he told The Globe.

"In fact it is helping rebuild the sovereignty movement."

When asked if the surge in support for sovereignty could benefit the Liberals, Duceppe said:

"We are not responsible for Liberals' lack of morality or the lack of strength of the Conservatives. Quebecers will make their own choice and we will respect their choice.

"We will not impose anything on Canadians and Canada has no reason to impose anything on Quebecers."

Other highlights from the poll include:

37 per cent said revelations and allegations raised at the Gomery inquiry have fuelled their support for sovereignty

49 per cent believe Quebec will one day become a sovereign country, compared to 41 per cent who don't

49 per cent favour another referendum, while 46 per cent oppose it

48 per cent said they were confident "renewed federalism" was possible, while 45 per cent said it was not.

When asked whether a vote for sovereignty still meant that they wanted Quebec to be part of Canada, 56 per cent of respondents said yes while 40 per cent said no.

Based on interviews with 1,008 eligible Quebec voters conducted between April 21 and 24, the poll is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out 20.

I hope that this won't help the liberal to get vote in ontario :/ this would'nt be good.

As we can see in the poll, the only hope is now in the hand of harper, he must clean the liberal mess and reform the federal structure. If the liberal get elected, its over and if harper fail its over.

[The Terrible Sweal]

When asked whether they would support sovereignty based on an economic and political partnership with the rest of Canada -- the same question asked in the Oct. 30, 1995, referendum that spurred the now-defunct sponsorship program -- 54 per cent said they would.

So, this poll was a farce. A media-contrived number to fill their headline space.

[fracan]

I'm sure at least 54% of Ontarians would favor "sovereignty" if it included an economic and political partnership with the rest of Canada. It's pretty much what we should have right now according to the constitution, notwithstanding federal intrusion on our provincial jurisdiction of course.

Thanks to the Clarity Act such a retarded question would either never be asked or would be struck down after the fact.

[seabee]

vThanks to the Clarity Act such a retarded question would either never be asked or would be struck down after the fact.

It would be wise to carefully read and study both the August 1998 SCC opinion on secession, as well as law C-20, especially the fine print. Definitely, a "retarded" question would not be struck down after the fact. Instead.... find out for yourself.

In fact, Québec independantists are quite happy with both the SCC opinion and law C-20; they have studied them. The first is a "how to" guide, the second, a fast track to full independance.

[Newfie Canadian]

When I first saw the headline a couple of days ago my first thought wasa great, here we go again.

But upon further study of the poll, things really haven't changed drastically. It's far from resounding support for sovereignty. It's not great for federalism (if there really is such a thing ) but it's not a death knell either.

[Bakunin]

But the problem is the liberal will use that to manipulate ppl and stay in power.