Monday, May 03, 2010

The Bloc! Booga booga!

The Sun :
"The Tories’ house leader Jay Hill told QMI Agency the government has not agreed to allow members of the Bloc to review confidential documents related to the transfer of Afghan detainees."
Haven't said no; haven't said yes.
"Bloc MPs would "have to swear allegiance to Canada and the Queen" if they want access to sensitive information, said Manitoba Tory MP James Bezan.
"If they are not prepared to do that, then I don’t see any way that we can give them the documents," he said."
Take it away, M. Duceppe... (h/t Maclean's)



I'm really fed up with the Cons' sly frogbashing and the anglo media ignoring the Bloc altogether unless it's to remind everyone of how the Bloc was part of the really scary coalition to replace Steve. Gosh, looking back on it, how terrible for Canada that would have been.

As someone who watches parliamentary committees on a regular to sporadic basis, I can tell you that many issues concerning social justice and individual freedom would get scant airing in committee if not for the dogged and fearless determination of Bloc committee members to ask hard questions of witnesses and not dither away their time scoring meaningless political points like our friend Bezan here. And they don't take any crap from anyone. Would they were a federalist party; I'd probably vote for them.
.

8 comments:

PeterC said...

You know, I've been saying that I'd vote for the Bloc almost any day. I may disagree with them but they hold my respect particularly for how they have and hold their principals while being flexible.

Why, oh why, cannot anyone else seem to do that!

Lindsay Stewart said...

Bloc Canada! Take it national, I would love to watch the snotty little twits of the right and mid-right cope with a party whose ethics were intact and whose social policies echoed those of the population at large.

West End Bob said...

I'm with you guys and Lady Alison - Once I get the right to vote, that is.

Counting the days, counting the days . . . .

thwap said...

The harpercons have decided to chase Quebec out of Confederation. They figure they can rule more easily without Quebec than with it.

Of course, my partner "ephemeral" says that separation is impossible.

Perhaps they just want to anger Quebec federalists so that they'll vote Bloc instead of Liberal.

Alison said...

Bloc Canada! Good one. Yes now I remember you coining that one, Lindsay, on the Rev's podcast. After watching the Jan 2007 televized federal election debates, Duceppe was the only one I really wanted to vote for.

Peter, good point on flexibility plus core values. I often disagree with them too but they are at least social democrats and when they say some piece of labour or women's rights legislation is not negotiable, you can count on them to back that up with their votes. Unlike some other parties I could mention.

Bob, I don't recall any Bloquistes running in the West End before - how's your French? ;-)

I'm a long way from Quebec out here on the wet coast, Thwap, and so my admiration for the Bloc is actually pretty cheap and useless and not at all well enough informed, but it's their spine I admire. Say hi to Ephie for me.

Oemissions said...

I'd vote for them.
Margaret Atwood said if she was in Quebec, she would vote for them.
Duceppe, il est drole!
A leader should have humour.

ck said...

As a lifelong Quebecer having lived in both Montreal and the rural regions, once again, Steve the tactician wins out.

No way in Hell Duceppe will swear on allegiance to Canada and the Queen; especially the latter; he, like most Quebecers, hate the British royal family.

I think there is a campaign, particularly from factions out west to kick Quebec out of Canada.

That evil LIbrul-NDP-Bloc coalition. What hypocrisy! What many tend to conveniently forget is that once upon a time, not that long ago, The NDP and theBloc were going to jump in bed and form a coalition to oust Paul Martin. Not goin' to get any sympathy there.

I also have my own theory, which I posted at my place earlier this week.

Perhaps not Duceppe himself, but Quebec civil servants are notorius for strategic leaks of any kind.

Other thing is, that Quebec probably will separate sooner or later, one way or another; this time I believe it will happen. If Quebec were separate, there is nothing holding Duceppe to any confidentiality agreements in Canada.

Yep, Steve the Tactician wins yet again.

Anonymous said...

No way in Hell Duceppe will swear on allegiance to Canada and the Queen

Actually, ck, if you had clicked on the video, you would have seen him do exactly that.

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