Headlines, North America

CANADA: Weakened Quebec Separatist Party in Shake-Up

Am Johal

VANCOUVER, May 10 2007 (IPS) - Separatist Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair resigned suddenly this week after months of severe criticism from separatists disappointed by the last election results.

The Parti Quebecois caucus had voted for an early leadership review, which prompted Boisclair’s move. It finished a distant third in the Mar. 26 provincial election – the worst showing for the provincial party since it was founded 40 years ago by Rene Levesque.

Quebec has a Francophone culture that is distinct from the rest of Canada. The modern-day separatist movement became mainstream in the late 1960s under the leadership of the charismatic, cigarette-smoking Levesqe, a former journalist. He formed the Parti Quebecois, which lost a separatist referendum vote in 1980 when 60 percent of Quebecers voted against separation. This approach was dubbed “le beau risque” (the beautiful risk).

In 1995, sovereigntists almost won another referendum after narrowly losing the vote at just under 50 percent support.

In the most recent election, Populist Action Democratique leader Mario Dumont carved out a unique place in the Quebec political spectrum by arguing that Quebec should be more independent within Canada, and became the opposition leader in the new minority National Assembly. He parlayed this position with suburban voters and was instrumental in taking support away from the Parti Quebecois.

He also effectively built a platform that was a reaction to tensions stemming from immigration and cultural tolerance.

“The No. 1 article of the Parti Québécois is to become a country,” Denis Lazure, former PQ cabinet mininster, told the CBC. “That’s a complicated programme, so you need someone who has a good deal of political maturity.”

Gilles Duceppe, the federal leader of the separatist Bloc Quebecois, is widely considered the favourite to replace Boisclair. Duceppe has a national reputation as a leader of the federal Bloc Quebecois and is one of the most articulate supporters of Quebec separatism.

Laurent Dobuzinskis, a professor of political science at Simon Fraser University, told IPS, “Boisclair’s resignation was expected – sooner or later he would have to step down. The PQ has a reputation to eat its leaders.”

“He did badly in the election, but it came sooner than one would have thought. He entered into a media battle he couldn’t win with Gilles Duceppe,” said Dobuzinskis.

Dobuzinskis added that Boisclair would not be a factor politically in the coming few years in the Quebec political landscape. Boisclair had been criticised for being involved in superficial media stunts, including parodying U.S. President George W. Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on a television sketch comedy show by invoking the gay-themed film “Brokeback Mountain”.

Though Boisclair appealed to a younger, urban constituency, he was too controversial for suburban Quebecers.

Asked if Gilles Duceppe was best positioned to take over the leadership of the PQ, Doubouzskis told IPS, “It sounds more and more likely Duceppe will jump in to the race. Right now, he has clearly positioned himself for that job – the floodgates are opened. The party and the separatist movement is facing difficult challenges, especially because Mario Dumont has positioned himself as neither a sovereigntist or a traditional federalist. The separatist movement needs to reinvent itself.”

Gilles Duceppe’s office released an e-mail statement to IPS through his spokesperson Karin Sauve that said, “Unfortunately, Mr. Duceppe doesn’t give anyone one-on-one interviews on this issue.”

Meanwhile, Quebec’s Liberal minority premier introduced a rightward shift in his government’s agenda this week. According to Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper, Jean Charest promised to cut taxes, restrict access to semi-automatic guns and strike a free trade deal with Ontario. Charest has also promised closer ties to the European Union for the majority French-speaking province. This is the province’s first minority government in over a century.

Premier Charest intends to govern his minority government for at least 18 months and will host the Francophonie Summit in Quebec in the fall of 2008.

During the election campaign, Charest highlighted the identity crisis facing Quebec and tensions with immigration. In his throne speech, Charest argued, “”To be born in Quebec is a good fortune, to immigrate to Quebec is a privilege. Integrating immigrants is a responsibility. It is a reciprocal gesture.”

Charest said that there is a need for immigrants to embrace Quebec values such as equality between men and women and the division between state and religion.

The separatist movement has traditionally been aligned with left-wing allies in trade unions and social activists. With a right-wing drift in provincial politics, the PQ leadership race will probably bring a new, centre-left leadership hopeful. Duceppe, the current leader of the Bloc Quebecois, is well-positioned to fill this role as a former social activist and trade union negotiator.

Retiring Bloc Québécois MP Michel Gauthier told the Canadian press that Duceppe is the perfect leader for a party that needs to enact discipline and revitalise its agenda.

“He’s an extremely popular politician, he has extremely solid experience, he’s a first-rate parliamentarian, and he’s a nationally recognised leader,” said Gauthier.

With Duceppe possibly leaving federal politics to run for the PQ leadership, the Bloc Quebecois will also be faced with a leadership race. Canadian political observers have written that the federal Conservative Party, with its ties to Mario Dumont, may benefit from this uncertain political climate.

A federal election is expected in the fall of 2007.