8.1.06

Alors, vive le libre . . . . Manitobain?

Are you a separatist?

Surprisingly, in this election, the answer to this question is irrespective of actual physical location.

Duceppe has done an amazing job of unintentional recruiting, and in the least likely of places:
Young people in Western Canada support the Bloc in droves.

It's an interesting phenomenon, though I can't say I disagree. If there's one thing this election campaign has shown thus far, it's that acting in the interest of your voters is not that hard, provided that you are a) an intelligent individual b) have interested voters and c) can avoid public scandals every other week.

Unfortunately, of four national political leaders, only Duceppe combines these characteristics.

If Martin wants to make this into an election referendaire, then he's in trouble: although it's been a while since he checked, young people in the West are ripe for a revolution.

The Alberta blogging scandal is evidence enough that there are separatist underpinnings to this election, but in actuality you need to look no further than discussion at any university in this half of the nation.

And while I doubt we'll see an autonomous ManSask or BC any time soon (Alberta, I'm not so sure), there is unparalleled support for both the ideas of the Bloc and it's idea.

It's been a decade since an election was so firmly rooted in federalism. Voting has taken on an entirely new pretext: it's not deciding between parties, it's about reaffirming or revoking power. It's about agreeing with the current democratic process, or protesting it (yes, we can protest in the West, too, believe it or not!).

It's *not* about losing Quebec. It's about losing the supposition that the Liberal party knows what's best for Quebec, knows what's best for us.

If I were Gilles Duceppe -- and these days, with a 53% approval rating in his home province, I wish I was -- I'd sit up and take notice.

Losing the blatantly separatist agenda could win him a minority government.

Fielding soveriegntist candidates in Western Canada -- think St. Boniface, as well as some of the more adamantly pro-Alberta ridings in particular -- could score Official Opposition status.

At the very least, the Bloc would become just that: a bloc of power, a force to be reckoned with. A minority government of any political stripe could not ignore a party that focuses on local issues and gets national response.

In that sense, it could also become an election referendaire, thanks to the one party that has been able to effectively criticize them, and call them on the misguided policy option that is the Liberal Party of Canada. I mean, if that's what Martin wants, that's what he should get, non?

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