In my column of May 2, I lamented the fact that Quebeckers did not get angry despite all the insults we receive from English Canada.
“When you agree to be repeatedly insulted without reacting, maybe you deserve only that”, I wrote.
We can ask the same question to the Prime Minister: why don’t you get angry, Mr. Legault, despite all the rebuffs you are receiving from Ottawa?
A MASKED SOVEREIGNIST?
Some people (who are visibly smoking good ones) believe that François Legault is a masked sovereignist who wants to demonstrate, with all his demands, that the Canadian federation is not reformable.
If that’s true, our Prime Minister would loudly denounce Canada’s intransigence every time Ottawa slams the door in his face.
But that’s not what he does.
Mr. Legault has a tendency to take his hole.
Justin Trudeau announces he wants to set national standards in long-term care?
François Legault is content to remind lip service that health is an exclusive jurisdiction of Quebec.
The federal government refuses to close the airports at the start of the pandemic?
It is the mayor Valérie Plante who tears his shirt.
The federal government refuses to keep the army in Quebec until September 15?
Mr. Legault says he does not understand this decision.
The feds refuse to close Roxham Road?
To give all powers to Quebec in matters of immigration?
To apply Law 101 to federally chartered companies?
To allow Quebecers to complete only one tax return?
To give us all the powers in matters of culture?
Always the same timid reaction.
François Legault disapproves, deplores, regrets, is sorry, expresses his disappointment.
And shrugs.
Same attitude when Quebec was insulted by the moderator of the debate in English…
THE “GOOD JACK” STRATEGY
I understand that it may not be in Mr. Legault’s nature to stick to the ceiling and get on his high horse.
That his character is rather that of the “good Jack”.
But, finally, we would expect a little more ardor.
Of nerves.
“A little less conversation, a little more action”, as Elvis sang.
Less resignation, and more protest.
However, each time, Quebec reacts as if Canada’s rebuff did not surprise us. As if it were in the order of things.
In 2014, Francois Legault said Quebec didn’t need to “blow the embers of old constitutional chicanery” to get “efficiency gains” from Ottawa.
“Just negotiate in good faith. »
A year later, during a general council of the CAQ in Laval, he presented himself as a “nationalist claimant”.
“We will repatriate a series of powers from the federal government and will claim prerogatives requiring amendments to the Constitution. »
Seven years later, all we got from the federal government was a dismissal.
Hasn’t the time come to get angry, Mr. Legault?
Even if it means throwing a can of oil on the fire?
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