Duceppe Tried To Crack Conservative/Liberal Consensus
Posted November 23, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe told the House of Commons Thursday that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s effort to turn the tables on a Bloc Quebecois motion to declare Quebec a nation within Canada was a clumsy attempt to “pull the wool over the public’s eyes”.
On Wednesday Harper was forced to comment on the idea of Quebec as a distinct nation within Canada after the Bloc introduced a motion calling for that change. He instead introduced a motion of his own with one key difference: calling Quebec a nation within a “united” Canada.
The Liberal caucus voted to support the Conservative counter-motion, although MP Jim Karygiannis said he wouldn’t support the move and MP Hedy Fry said she’s undecided as to whether she’ll support it.
“When he attaches that condition, we can see through it that it’s just a partisan tactic,” Duceppe said. “I hope that the prime minister will recognize the Quebec nation, period.
“I would invite everyone in this House to follow through on their logic, to get rid of their psychological hang-ups about recognizing the Quebec nation,” he said.
On Thursday the Bloc tried to crack the Conservative-Liberal alliance by amending the motion declaring that Quebecers form a nation “that is currently within Canada.” B.Q. House leader Michel Gauthier introduced that new twist.
Then, Deputy Liberal leader Lucienne Robillard proposed an amendment of the amendment, adding the word “united” to Canada and dropping the “currently”, pretty much duplicating the original Conservative motion.
An attempt at compromise failed when the Bloc agreed to add the word “united” but put its foot down when it came to keeping “currently” in the wording of the motion.
The proposed sub-amendment died.
- This issue will definitely play a big role in the Liberal leadership race which concludes next week when delegates vote for their new party leader.
