Populism or le style Dumont

August1991 · March 23, 2007

While listening to Dumont on the radio a few days ago, I thought about starting this thread. The article (linked below) made me do it.

Dumont is a populist. He's in the style of Willy Stark of All the King's Men. It's obvious in French, if not in translation. (Dumont knows this about himself and this explains why he has no desire to get involved in federal politics.)

English Canada hasn't had any populists since Bible Bill Aberhart or Mitch Hepburn. The closest recent examples were the Reform Party (Preston Manning was not cut out to be a populist) and perhaps Ralph Klein.

Newfoundland politicians have a populist tendency.

As populists go, and given the times we live in, Dumont is not a bad one. So, the question is: why does it work?

I think the answer can be found on this forum. From Argus to Polynewbie, many people feel politically-correct elites don't decide in their favour. It's like the Charlottetown 1993 referendum when Canadians told the elite to take a hike. Many people are tired of the CBC, politicians, bureaucrats, officialdom telling them what is the politically correct thing to do. People want someone honest.

Harper himself (Harper's no populist despite his efforts to try to be one) has tapped into this populist current. (Hint to Harper: He better indulge this populism otherwise he'll find himself on the wrong side of the popular opinion.)

Why would people such as Argus or Polynewbie be like this? I dunno. As people get older, they get cantankerous. Canadians are older.

In the Quebec political world, Boisclair is the sharp-mouthed, urban technocrat whiz-kid. Charest is the glib, fat cat pol with the standard lines. The two have been arguing for decades while cutting up the world to their advantage.

Dumont steps in like someone who will defend the little guy. Dumont's ideals, plan, team are irrelevant. Someone has to stand up to the bureaucrats and the politicians. And Dumont does that.

This is so diabolical that I'm surprised no English Canadian politician has tried it.

----

Now the article. It was written by Joseph Facal, an ex-PQ minister and a politician whose opinions I share and someone whose style I like.

If your French is not good, this is the text to read. It's simple. Subject, verb, object. Use your imagination to fill in the words you don't know.

J’ai revu mon ami Yvon au dépanneur. Il avait pensé voter par anticipation lundi, mais il va prendre encore quelques jours pour y penser.
Je vous ai déjà parlé de mon chum Yvon qui habite à deux pas de chez moi. Yvon est comptable.

Un gars de chiffres.

Tellement qu’il amène son livre de sudoku quand il s’enferme dans sa salle de bain.

Quand j’étais député, Yvon votait pour moi.

Un vrai bon gars, je vous dis.

Yvon trouve que la souveraineté serait plutôt une bonne chose, mais disons que ce n’est pas la première chose à laquelle il pense en se levant le matin.

Yvon est un gars raisonnable à tous points de vue, sauf quand il frappe ses balles de golf début avril avec une tuque sur la tête.

Yvon accepte le mariage gai, mais n’aime pas trop les fesses à l’air du défilé de la fierté gaie.

Comme il dit, ni lui ni Doris ne grimpent sur un char allégorique pour montrer leur derrière.

Yvon n’a pas de problèmes avec les immigrants, mais il se pompe vite dès qu’il est question d’aménager des locaux de prière.

....