Layton's NDP ready to take on Bloc in Que

[bigdude]

NDP leader ready to take on Bloc, says budget key to making inroads in Quebec

New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton says getting the federal budget adopted will be key to making inroads in Quebec in the event of a summer election.

"What we're able to show is that our new budget proposal would bring $1 billion in post-secondary education funding, the environment and affordable housing for Quebec over the next two years," Layton said in a phone interview on Saturday after a meeting of the NDP's Quebec section in Sherbrooke.

"That's more than the Bloc (Quebecois) is going to be able to say it's been able to do because it has simply opposed budgets rather then trying to change them."

Prime Minister Paul Martin agreed to delay billions in corporate tax cuts and spend more on social programs, the environment and post-secondary education in exchange for NDP support to prop up his minority government leading up to the budget vote.

Recent opinion polls suggest revelations from the Gomery commission into the sponsorship scandal are boosting Bloc fortunes in Quebec, chiefly at the expense of the Liberals.

Layton said if the budget is passed, it would prove the NDP could make federalism work for the province

We sure live in interesting times. Who would have thought that the Layton New Democrats might possibly emege as the main federalist force in Quebec?

And before all you right wing folks begin to say this is nonsense, I would just like to point out that this news story is right out of your bible - the national post!

This is indeed stunning news!

I would have to agree with Jack Layton here- defeat the budget at your own risk.

Although I surmise that the budget will pass as the Conservatives don't have the numbers and as well it is the kiss of death for them to be seen cozying up to the Bloc.

The Harper Conservatives have dropped 8% in the latest polls, that should tell them something, don't you think?

[kimmy]

We sure live in interesting times. Who would have thought that the Layton New Democrats might possibly emege as the main federalist force in Quebec?

And before all you right wing folks begin to say this is nonsense, I would just like to point out that this news story is right out of your bible - the national post! 

This is indeed stunning news! 

I would have to agree with Jack Layton here- defeat the budget at your own risk.

Although I surmise that the budget will pass as the Conservatives don't have the numbers and as well it is the kiss of death for them to be seen cozying up to the Bloc.

The Harper Conservatives have dropped 8% in the latest polls, that should tell them something, don't you think?

The National Post isn't predicting NDP success in Quebec. The National Post is merely reporting that Jack Layton is predicting NDP success in Quebec. There's a rather fundamental difference between what the article says and what you're claiming it says.

Although, I also think defeating the budget would be a big risk.

-k

{I think the Fingal's Cave overature must have been the Lateralus of its time.}

[Bakunin]

, i just have to admit that these things are funny. For the past 2 years the ndp and the conservative told the quebecers they want to make gain in quebec...

It make me think of the conservative convention in 2005 in montreal. , the conservative come to montreal for a convention, what we see is they all vote against quebec social values and Harper doesnt even come talk to the media about it

Thats a little bit how it work, they say they want to make gain in quebec so they decide to do activity in quebec, but they forget to invite us and ask for our opinion

Its quite similar with the NDP, those politician are so much not connected with quebec political world that when they get interviewed, it is by international interviewer... Often, the issue they talk about doesnt even exist here... like stephen harper speaking about the gay marriage or american missile defense when in quebec the debate is over... The ndp speak about environment, clean energy and kyoto, wake up ! here we ended this debate in the 60's its called hydro-electricity... They also talk about social program we already have from the provincial...

The more i think about it, in quebec evry federal election is the continuation of the referendums. Sovreignist vote for the bloc, federalist for the liberal and the undecided don't vote.

[bigdude]

Quebeckers have no intention of separating, as a matter of fact they never really did. It is a little game they play and they play it quite well mind you. The main issue for Quebeckers is their fear of cultural assimulation surrounded by this sea of English. Quebeckers realize that with 2 official languages, and French immersion just booming in places like British Columbia, even more than in Ottawa, French will be best protected by Quebec being part of Canada. Most Quebeckers have now moved on past this separation issue, and are focusing on other things.

Your ideas are a little out of date.

Layton is offering Quebeckers what they want in the budget - it is going to to place the Bloc in a very awkward situation if they vote against the Layton New Democrat budget, and the Bloc, if they do so, will pay a heavy political price. in the next federal election.

[Bro]

Read a little further, your great leader is also promoting the idea of a

"quebec nation "within federalism, how does this solve any problems ?

Seems to me the list of demands from quebec will continue to grow

at the expense of the other "non nation" provinces.

[Argus]

Quebeckers have no intention of separating, as a matter of fact they never really did. It is a little game they play and they play it quite well mind you. The main issue for Quebeckers is their fear of cultural assimulation surrounded by this sea of English. Quebeckers realize that with 2 official languages, and French immersion just booming in places like British Columbia, even more than in Ottawa, French will be best protected by Quebec being part of Canada. Most Quebeckers have now moved on past this separation issue, and are focusing on other things.

Given you are quite obviously not a Quebecer, would you care to inform us what logic is behind your statement that most Quebecers have no interest in seperatism and never did? Recent polls seem to suggest a resurgence in seperatist sentiment. Or is that just another game all Quebecers are in on?

[Bakunin]

After the 2004 election, layton came for the first time to a quebec tv show and they where making joke about him because people tought his name was Jack Clayton lol!!

Thats about how much disconnected and unknown the ndp is in quebec.

[Guest eureka]

Actual support for separatism in Quebec was never more than 11% for many years, as shown by many surveys over the time. I have not seen one for some time, but I suspect that it is not much more than that now.

The questions asked about sovereignty never ask about separation in an explicit manner. A survey done in March, 1980 by an organization I belonged to showed that of the 900,000 Francophone Quebeckers then living in the Western half of Montreal about 55% favoured military action to prevent separation if necessary.

[seabee]

,,,about 55% favoured military action to prevent separation if necessary.

Against which army?

Or would it just jail or shoot "known separatists", or would any unilingual french speaking Québécois be fair target?

[bigdude]

Don't worry, be happy, Layton is on the right track here:

Layton urges more powers for Quebec

Layton urges more powers for Quebec

Endorses provincial council's resolution.

NDP calls for 'asymmetrical' structure recognizing 'national character' of province 

MIKE DE SOUZA 

The Gazette

Sunday, May 08, 2005

NDP leader Jack Layton is endorsing a party initiative to promote more special powers for the "Quebec nation" within the Canadian federation.

"I know that the Quebec wing is in the middle of adopting an interesting proposition on the place of the Quebec nation in an asymmetric, co-operative and flexible Canada," Layton told NDP members gathered for a regional council meeting at the Universite de Sherbrooke.

"I very much like this approach that is developed and that confirms and reaffirms the principles we have already upheld."

In its resolution, the party said it wanted to recognize Quebec's specificity to achieve the long-term goal of getting the provincial government's signature on the Canadian constitution.

"The New Democratic Party believes that an asymmetrical federalism is the best way to combine the federal Canadian state with the reality of Quebec's national character," the resolution said. "This means that Quebec must have powers and a leeway that are more wide-ranging than the other entities making up the Canadian federation."

One can already sense the shift - no more bright orange ties and now this!

[Guest eureka]

Isn't that a rather silly response, Seabee?

[Bakunin]

last poll 2 week ago:

76% of Quebeckers say they feel betrayed by Jean

Chrétien and the PLC

54% of Quebeckers would have voted for

sovereignty of Quebec

One Quebecker out of two (51%) identifies more with Québec than Canada. In fact, 18% see themselves as Quebecois only and 32% more Quebecois than Canadian. However, 35% say they are as much one or the other, 7% say more Canadian than Quebecois and 6% Canadian

only.

Vote intention:

Bloc: 53%

Liberal 22%

PC 12%

NDP 10%

Here is the % for and against sovreignty for the last 10 years.

For 49.4% 53% 49,6% 42% 49% 43% 46% 41% 40% 54%

Against 50.6% 47% 50,4% 58% 51% 57% 54% 59% 60% 46%

[Argus]

last poll 2 week ago:

76% of Quebeckers say they feel betrayed by Jean

Chrétien and the PLC

54% of Quebeckers would have voted for

sovereignty of Quebec

One Quebecker out of two (51%) identifies more with Québec than Canada. In fact, 18% see themselves as Quebecois only and 32% more Quebecois than Canadian. However, 35% say they are as much one or the other, 7% say more Canadian than Quebecois and 6% Canadian

only.

Vote intention:

Bloc: 53%

Liberal 22%

PC 12%

NDP 10%

Here is the % for and against sovreignty for the last 10 years.

For 49.4% 53% 49,6% 42% 49% 43% 46% 41% 40% 54%

Against 50.6% 47% 50,4% 58% 51% 57% 54% 59% 60% 46%

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And if you take out the English and immigrant vote, and just ask French Quebecers, the numbers soar.

[Bakunin]

here is the french only result

81% of Quebeckers say they feel betrayed by Jean

Chrétien and the PLC

60% of Quebeckers would have voted for

sovereignty of Quebec

One Quebecker out of two (57%) identifies more with Québec than Canada. In fact, 22% see themselves as Quebecois only and 35% more Quebecois than Canadian. However, 33% say they are as much one or the other, 3% say more Canadian than Quebecois and 5% Canadian

only.

Vote intention:

Bloc: 62%

Liberal 15%

PC 12%

NDP 9%

[bigdude]

Who cares what the French only people say - or does the Bloc not feel that people from other cultures are acceptable Quebeckers?

What are Quebeckers - 20% of the Canadian population?

Or do you not think Quebeckers' opinions matter in Canada?

Obviously they do just just other folks who come from other cultural backgrounds.

You folks waste your time with people like Jose Legault who get rich at your expense.

[Bakunin]

I gave overall numbers for eureka and french numbers because argus talked about it...