Now that I am back in Canada even after only a few days, I can celebrate the lack of a third colour on the flag, our poor standards for lawn mowing and trimming as well as the capacity of our national leaders to leave all the toys on the political stairway, like these results of Steve's great idea last year to call Quebec a nation:
The provincial government plans to force the federal government's hand on how it views the division of powers with the provinces and spending, Quebec Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Benoît Pelletier says. Premier Jean Charest's government also wants to finally see Quebec's distinctiveness recognized in the Constitution in a charter of open federalism. Quebec wants the federal government to address the division of jurisdictions between Ottawa and the provinces and intends to press Ottawa on the matter, Mr. Pelletier said in an interview yesterday. He also wants the federal government to spell out precisely how it sees the federation operating and wants Ottawa to limit spending in provincial jurisdictions.That's not much. And it is a damn good thing that Steve is so clever that he can handle this situation and come up with a plan that will make everyone happy. I am sure that plan is in there, right? He has a plan, right?
Or is the plan saying the Liberals were no better?
Comments
David Janes - August 7, 2007 9:15 AM
What's your theory here Al: that if Steve didn't do this last year (with cross party support, I may ad) Pelletier wouldn't be showing up this year with similar demands?
In either case, perhaps the plan is to say "no".
Chris Taylor - August 7, 2007 11:21 AM
Aside from no-hope distinct Constitutional recognition I don't see anything really eyebrow-raising there.
It <i>is</i> a good idea for the feds to iron out how they will spend, especially when it overlaps areas of provincial responsibility. I think everybody would appreciate more clarity there.
David Janes - August 7, 2007 5:30 PM
My brother has legalese stuff to say.
Alan - August 8, 2007 9:42 PM
Maybe this idea clicked in the last 24 hours but when you can write the following with a straight face...<blockquote class="smalltext"><i>Quebec has been formally recognized as a nation inside of Canada (see the resolution supported by all of our current leaders and leaders to be) the debate in Quebec now turns to setting out the details of what that means.</i></blockquote>...you might wonder when someone asks how the drunken sailor got behind the constitutional wheel. If you blurt out new division of power principles, it would be nice if it happened after someone has a clue as to the meaning. Nice obfuscation of responsibility in the Janes family, however, with the repeated slathering of all with Steve's successful brinksmanship.