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| Great White North |
| Liberals take Quebec provincial vote, but separatists gain |
| 2008-12-10 |
| OTTAWA, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Quebec separatists were in an upbeat mood on Tuesday, despite a third consecutive election defeat, saying the Parti Quebecois's surprisingly strong performance was good reason to be optimistic. The party, which wants the largely French-speaking province of Quebec to break away from Canada, won 51 of the 125 seats in the provincial legislature in Monday's election, up from the 36 seats it had held previously. It also won 35 percent of the popular vote -- around 5 percentage points more than expected. The ruling Liberals won 66 seats, up from the 48 they won in March 2007, and will form a majority government. They took 42 percent of the popular vote. The Liberals and the Parti Quebecois gained at the expense of the right-leaning Action democratique du Quebec, which came close to winning in 2007. This time the ADQ won just seven seats, down from the 39 it held when the vote was called. Liberal premier Jean Charest called the election less than two years into his mandate on the grounds he needed a majority in the legislature to tackle what he described as "the economic storm" hitting Quebec. "The issue of the election was the economy, and is still the economy. That hasn't changed. That transcends all other issues," Charest told a news conference on Tuesday. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #12 tu3031 . . . . That's the GREATEST!! It's a wonder that the Human Rights Commission hasn't been all over that one. But I'll be emailing it along to all my friends anyway. |
| Posted by: Canuckistan sniper 2008-12-10 15:04 |
| #11 Quebec provides a lot of electricity to the American northeast. Most of Quebec (~80%), is Cree and other 1st nations (f.e. Mohawk) territory, and these electricity producing facilities are in it. If Quebec separates, they'd separate from it, being anglophone, and likely join rest of Canada. So instead of Hydro Quebec, NEUS may be doing biz with Hydro Cree. That is all to it. |
| Posted by: Spike Uniter 2008-12-10 13:53 |
| #10 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TncdhLGjFTE |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-12-10 11:55 |
| #9 Steve, I wouldn't be surprised to find that a lot of folk at RB would willingly trade the NE US for the west of Canada. Unfortunate for people like me that live in places like MA but bleed red. On another topic.... Of New England weather Mark Twain said that if you didn't like it wait a minute or walk a mile. At my house: Mon 10pm 12 F, Tue 10 pm 49 F; now 57 F, tomorrow snow & freezing rain. Yep, normal weather for this time of year. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2008-12-10 11:51 |
| #8 Careful, Hellfish, Quebec provides a lot of electricity to the American northeast. We don't want things to be too frisky up there ... |
| Posted by: Steve White 2008-12-10 11:44 |
| #7 Hellfish, that is the most Machiavellian thing I have heard this month. I love it! |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-12-10 11:00 |
| #6 Also, let 'em seperate. Cut off power, trade and blockade the rest. Then take them back on your terms. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2008-12-10 08:25 |
| #5 I'd say to the Canadian West, Join the USA, but seeing how things are going lately I understand their reluctance. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2008-12-10 08:24 |
| #4 I doubt you could get enough French Canadians sobered up long enough to vote this in. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-12-10 08:00 |
| #3 Addendum... People are starting to accept and believe that the sucking sound coming from east is a natural phenomenon. |
| Posted by: Spike Uniter 2008-12-10 01:17 |
| #2 Everything west of the Ontario/Manitoba border teaching Quebec what "Separatism" really means. Ya think? Ovis Canadensis is too a prevalent species that the Quebecois racket would continue unabated and no one will turn blue holding breath for Westerners to say "nuff!" Gimme something tangible to believe utharwise. |
| Posted by: Spike Uniter 2008-12-10 01:13 |
| #1 Yawn. "The Parti Quebecois's surprisingly strong performance" was to be expected. Whatever it takes to steal the money from productive parts of Canada and award it to themselves. Just wait for the federal budget in January, the defeated government in May or June and the following election. Clarity coming. Everything west of the Ontario/Manitoba border teaching Quebec what "Separatism" really means. |
| Posted by: Canuckistan sniper 2008-12-10 00:34 |