Canadian Politics

The CBC's vote compass for Quebec summarizes the different party platforms in relation to how you lean politically if that helps.

Quebec 2014 vote compass

Heh, I'm pretty much centrist.

Really left-wing here. Like Green Party left wing. But I knew that.

Yeah, I'm just to the right of the Greens, though I answered a lot of questions with Don't Know or Neutral.

Had to cheat a little, being American butI was curious as to where I would fit and apparently it's in the lower right quadrant about haf way between the Liberals and Conservatives.

So you're really left-wing. By American political standards.

edited 27th Mar '14 6:52:31 AM by Zendervai

Oh my shit, QS is actually on team-Sovereign.

Why did I take so long to realize that? (Answer: I am so not to date on politic it's not even funny)

Good thing I caught a part of the leader debate.

Further revised my priorities: CAQ, PLQ, the rest. Although Mr Legault (CAQ) is giving me some republican vibes, so I'm not sure how to feel about that.

It's like I said, there's no real option in Québec politics that's both left-wing and not separatist.

The follies of a two party system. At least in Nova Scotia we can rotate between three parties who basically do the same things over and over (current government pending until they actually do something I can judge).

edited 27th Mar '14 9:04:54 PM by Rationalinsanity

You got that right.

To be fair, we have 4 major parties, maybe 5. And then, the rest.

Now I'm left to myself debating whether the CAQ can actually fix our economy or if I should support PLQ for lack of option.

That sounds a lot like the problem Scotish voters face.

From what I understand only the Libs and the PQ are in a position to realistically form a government, right?

Last election, CAQ had a shot at being major, but they lost steam at the voting booth for some reason and we got a minority government of PQ/PLQ/CAQ.

QS has more success in Montreal than the region IIRC. Not enough to sweep away the competition, but they aren't some back-alley party unheard of.

National Option (the possible fifth) is, well, an option (maybe if the stars align for them) for majority government. However, they aren't that popular. I imagine it's because their selling point (sovereignty) is pretty cliche.

Otherwise, yeah, PLQ and PQ have more presence all around.

x8 I basically consider myself liberal on social issues and a moderate on economic ones. As for Quebec seperatism I like the idea because I like to see things come apart.

Is there an actual niche in Quebec that could be filled by a left leaning federalist party?

Most probably.

I am pretty confident in saying that the main reason why the leftists are so popular currently is because people were sick of the old government and lean left, not because they want a referendum side-dish with their leftist government.

I think the last figures had 70% of the population who wanted nothing to do with a referendum.

I believe so. Maybe not necessarily a fully federalist party, but one who doesn't have independence as a goal. I mean, we have enough left-wing people to sustain 3 major parties who are left-wing and separatist, yet every time it came to a referendum, people voted not to leave. Surely, there are at least a few people who would be interested to vote for a party that lean their way without asking for a referendum

So it would be incorrect to assume that the majority of the Quebec left supports separation, at least as a primary issue? Cause the party landscape certainly reflects that stereotype.

The eradication of the Bloc Quebecois kinda makes any notion of separatism moot.

Well it's hard to tell. Most people try to vote "strategicallly" for the lesser evil, some vote based on economy, others vote based on social principle. I think there's a strong concentration of right in Quebec, based on the reaction of the Maple Spring, and the fact that the CAQ has a shot at all may be another indicator. I couldn't really tell you where everyone stands on this all around.

No it doesn't? It's still a major point of our elections regardless of the federal level.

Yeah, any separation vote will be done at the provincial level.

Very much so. There's some push for the NDP to open a provincial wing for this reason. Federalists have no real options except the liberals. The CAQ is not openly separatists, but remember its leader was one of the PQ's big wig, so that doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

Of course there's the risk that such a party would fracture the federalist vote, which could give separatists like the PQ renewed wind. And the PQ's recent actions and the support they get from the french part of the population make me ashamed to be french-canadian.

On the current election, I can't say how happy I am to see the PQ's support to have melted to such a degree. Still apprehensive about the election though. Feels like a "whoever wins we lose" scenario. QS is separatist, and even then, their positions and programs seem to be based on a notion that money grows in trees. Every one of their answers being "We'll tax the rich and companies" yes, but that can only go so far before you drive both out of the province. CAQ has some good idea, but some terrible ones (Like Legault's promise to let cities decreed conditions to their unions if they can't agree after a year - good idea, you've just given cities motivation to not negociate since they literally can dictate the conditions when the clock runs out.) Liberals have all that history behind them, and Couillard's not been impressing me with his leadership. Option Nationale is very much separatist. Has some nice ideas, but fuck sovereignty.

Sooo, what, is Quebec gonna pick another pro-sovereign government?

Seems unlikely; the PQ's poll numbers have been tanking for weeks. You will probably see the Grits get back into power; maybe even with a majority.

CBC has just projected a Liberal victory; and it looks like they are coasting to a majority. CAQ surge has failed to manifest yet.