Harper & Quebec; The Tories as Sovereignists

Stephen Harper is courting the seperatist vote in Quebec, much the way Brian Mulroney did before him. In that case, the short term benefit to the Conservatives paved the way to the 1995 Sovereignty referendum, and gave birth to the Bloq Quebecois in the federal Parliament.

This strategy hasn't received much coverage in the English press, so I've included a link to a French language version of the story.

The ruthlessness with which Stephen Harper pursues power is almost breath taking. It is a pity that much of the electorate equates ruthlessness with leadership. The hypocrisy inherent in Harper's courting the sovereignists while criticising the Liberal and Green party's attempts at bi-partisanship hasn't yet come back to haunt the Tories. Perhaps this attempt at a Bloquiste - Tory pact would appear less palatable if the rest of Canada was more aware of it. Certainly the cynicism of Stephen Harper in assuming Canadians wont notice what he's doing speaks to a ruthlessness that seems at odds with announced goals of transparency, and fair government.

Perhaps Canadians might be less enamoured with the Conservative party if they realised the Tory strategy assumes Canadians lack the brains to notice Stephen Harper, when he talks to them at all, talks out of both sides of his mouth.