Let Me Fix That Headline For You

Lovely....

" I think I heard a couple of pops, but I don’t know for sure."

This Maher fellow may become a decent journalist one day if he stays in school and doesn't join the other protesting students.

Shooting your opponents is not the way to deal with a political loss.

Right now I'm torn between sympathy for the victims and nausea that I'm already feeling over over the upcoming MSM attempts to blame this shooting on PMSH and the Conservatives. You know it's coming.

I suspect Stephen Harper will outwit Marois in the chess game of life on this plane of existence.

And ' good on him,' I say!

Stephen Maher the leftist journo, notwithstanding his proximity to life unfolding around him last night, may some day become part of the story.

The guy was in a bathrobe and we care what language he speaks?

I guess Stevie's not old enough to remember the FLQ.

Two shot; 1 dead. Sounds like Marois' solution to the English question. Instead it looks like a nutcase.

Too bad Charest lost, otherwise he could have tried to govern. Now the lieutenant governor is obligated to ask Marois to form a government.

On the subject of headlines ,the CBC has this one up:

" Suspect in fatal PQ victory rally shooting not from Montreal "

I can see that one taking up a lot of space as they add to it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/

While I believe that this guy is an effing nutbar (unless ninjas started wearing blue house coats) the media, just couldn't resist cranking up the rhetoric with the Anglo meme. More hysterical is the floundering of the gun control crowd, trying to hang this on the demise of the Long Gun Registry, its particularly amusing to watch the sputtering when its pointed out that Quebec still has a registry.. wonder if they feel safer?

The alleged Anglophone: "Montreal police spokesmen said they have arrested a 62-year-old man from Quebec who spoke French with an accent".

They hold their election night HQ in a club? Who is getting that tab? AB and SASK.

Marois has devoted her political career to destroying the Dominion. Last night she narrowly escaped being repaid in full for her treason before the eyes of all Canadians. For once justice would have been seen to be done against those who plot against the Queen of Canada.

Now you know why the PQ adore the gun registry. Political violence is only fun when it's the FLQ sticking bombs in mailboxes or thugs smashing the windows of English-owned businesses, and not loyal Canadians fighting back.

Never fear. All her escape has done is put off her day in the court of the Almighty a little longer. She'll answer for her crimes, sooner or later, just as Levesque and Trudeau have.

The English arise from their slumber, in English and French Canada, and not a moment too soon. Lovely is the perfect word for it.

You know it Tom; these welfare bum frenchies have sucked up 250 billion from Canada all while selling power stateside paying nary a penny of royalties to Canada. Meanwhile Alberta cuts a cheque for 8.5 billion at least, every year out of oil royalties to placate the diapered frenchie, cheap tuition, cheap daycare etc., go figure. Wake up Alison.

The Liberals got 31.2%, the PQ 31.9% of the popular vote. Liberals have 50 seats, PQ have 54 seats.

That means that Marois has to concentrate on the economy. She doesn't have the votes to threaten the rest of Canada. Sure, she can 'demand more', the never-ending Quebec mode of ignoring the necessity to themselves grow up and economically support themselves.

But, with that margin, she doesn't have the votes to do anything other than what the voters want: deal with the economy and with corruption. The purely sovereignist party got only 6% of the vote. Two seats. The CAQ which is not interested in sovereignty but in the economy, got 27% and 19 seats.

Therefore, Marois is in quite the bind. The people voting for the Liberals and CAQ (total of 69 seats or 77% of the vote) didn't vote for sovereignty but to deal with the economy.

Marois has some hard core separatists in her party; their sole focus is on language and Quebec power - without, ah, the economic responsibilities of such power. She can't appease them. Her budget has to deal, not with socialism, which is the home base of the naive separatists, who refuse to develop the economy to pay for this socialism...but with reality.

If her budget next year fails, it's another election. Ah well. The key, the key, the key to Quebec is to STOP living off the ROC, and develop your own economy! Will they do it? Heh.

Whatever our political disagreements, we have no tradition of sectarian violence. This is not how we settle things.

What??????? Don't they teach history any more????What an idiot, what a useful idiot. When you get up and there are soldiers, in our streets, with guns and no I didn't make that up because I'm not allowed to. ( O.K. tongue out of cheek) But I guess that fell down the memory sink hole because it was a french liberal that instituted martial law, that arrested, searched and seized with out cause or warrants.

Sheesh they need to be spanked or electro shocked back into reality.

I wish the PQ would have received a strong majority so they could hold a referendum in 2013 and be outta here the next day.

Well, look like Quebec won't separate anytime soon. (if ever).

As such, the goal now is to make the journey within Canada as comfortable as possible.

Pauline must team with Legault to get more cash and power from Ottawa.

Maher wrote that story, and didn't mention that it was a 'robo-shot.'
That will likely be his next story.

quebecois,

First, please tell us why Quebec should get more money from the Canadian taxpayer. It already receives over 13 billion more than it gives. Why should the Canadian taxpayer hand over more?

Second, please tell us why Quebec should have more power over its affairs than any other member of the federation?

Obviously, as I noted, a 77% rejection of the sovereignist parties means that Quebec refuses to be on its own. But, why should that mean that Canadian taxpayers, instead of paying for goods and services in their own provinces, should hand all their money over to Quebec?

Another nut looking for fame.
frankly if he was a French speaker would it matter? Clearly the guy was insane.
We all know though this will be turned into a political circus based solo on language, not mental stability.

Canada to Marios:
No. Get used to it

The renegotiation of Equalization transfers is due by 2014. PM Harper has tried to appease Quebec and have been rejected. Time for a deal fair to all provinces (including the ones not getting payments). you have nothing to lose.
and what is this Prime Minister of Quebec BS? Canada has one Prime Minister and that is Mr Harper. Enough with the coddling.

ET: When I negotiate my salary with my boss I try to get as much as possible. I don't care if I really deserve or worth it. It is self interest.

Alleged Anglophone?

They make it sound as if one can be guilty of being an Anglophone...

but then again that is pretty much how Pauline Marois and the "Souverainistes" feel about it...

ET,
Quebec should get whatever it can. Albertans would rather pay and complain than stop the process.

Quebecois
Are you saying Harper is Marois' boss?

"Montreal police spokesmen said they have arrested a 62-year-old man from Quebec who spoke French with an accent".

He must have come from France.

The last I checked there were two seperatist parties running and the Libels. To suggest that French speaking Quebecers do not want independance is more than simply putting 'rose' coloured glasses on. Even the great defender of Canada in Quebec, Charest, has endorsed seperatist iniatives. It is all about how much money can be taken from the ROC in the process.

It is about time that this country grew up and dealt with many of the inequities that exist in our society. Cut the BS and bring it down to dollars and cents. Anything less is simply an opportunity for many people English and French to skim more money from the taxpayers of this country.

The big winner last night was MotherCorp or as we fondly know it the CBC. Talk about a 4 year reprieve as it girds itself for another bout at the trough as they ride the seperatist gravy train. Doncha know that we have to 'convince' Quebers of our touchy feelyness!

Ah yes, the legacy of Pierre Trudeau's stupid, infantile langauge fetish lives on and on and on.

It would seem to me that all politically-related firearm violence occurs in Quebec? Do you think it's cultural?

Here's a video of the guy being arrested.

Extremely disappointed that the PQ didn't win a majority. The least Quebec could do is throw themselves out of Canada!

Poll in the globe says that the majority of the ROC supports separation. I would actively campaign for the yes side myself.

It seems there are more separatists in ROC than Quebec. Perhaps a little reminder that wishing Quebec to separate is tantamount to wishing a communist coup on your neighbours, with all that entails, lots of dead people being one among many results. All the separatists, both in Quebec and ROC should be ashamed of themselves.

sndpq: ET: When I negotiate my salary with my boss I try to get as much as possible. I don't care if I really deserve or worth it. It is self interest.

Except the boss says you're a disloyal p***k who spends too much time in the lunchroom and fighting with the other employees. So, maybe you want to quit. Well do you, punk? (Sorry Clint).

@ Shamrock, it's up to ROC to end the gravy train, then. ET, despite his foul left-leaning ways, is quite correct. Ending transfer payments would be good for Quebec, but as I said before, separation is essentially just giving rabid socialists a free hand.

I think Maher meant to say "I think I had a couple of pops, but I don't know for sure".

The guy's name is Richard? As in Rocket Richard? Sorry, does not have to be english at all. Some time ago the French invaded England and brought such names with them. And later the French ruling in England invaded France right back.

Latest information is, the guy never made it into the building, but shot the two guys outside and started the fire out back. I'm beginning to suspect that its one of those Heidi Red-bone Montreal massacre victim thingies, where she claimed to be a survivor, based on being in the same 14 acre building Lepine was shooting up.

@ robins111
Surely you mean Gamil Gharbi?

Quebec embraces searatists at a time of gross budget shortfall when they rely on huge transfers from ROC to stay afloat - perrrrrfect. Cut the transfers and when they threaten to leave this time, the ROC is willing to cut them loose. Gotta love how these things roll out - karmic.

quebecois, your error is in assuming that you are an employee of Canada and that you are working for Canada; ie, that you are contributing to it.

The truth is - that you are not either an employee nor are you contributing.

You COST the taxpayer over 13 billion MORE than you contribute. Can't you understand that? What sane boss would keep an employee that is costing his business such an enormous ratio of his business?

The nerve of you to demand MORE from the taxpayer while not only contributing absolutely nothing but costing billions, is outrageous.

Quebec is not employed by Canada. It ought to be a self-employed, self-organized, self-sufficient QUEBEC economy that exists in a federation.

The federation contributes services that would stress a smaller population, such as a stable banking and currency system, transportation, communication, defense, major resource exploration and funding for research etc.

But Quebec ought to develop its own economy! Develop your oil, gas and water resources, develop a vibrant small business sector. Become a robust rather than welfare economy. Do you? Nope.

Instead, Quebec only 'develops' its so-called 'culture', denying that others also have 'culture'. It focuses on its isolation. Of language, of...what, other than language? What culture?

Economically, Quebec insists on all those jobs for its 'educated class' in the federal government, all those federal offices in Montreal, all those head offices in Montreal. Ah, that looks after that sector of the Quebec population. ALL from the federal government. NONE via any effort of Quebec.

Dairy and milk protection where Quebec is alone given the federal right to these agricultural products. Why?

Funding of its over-numerous universities. Funding to keep its tuition rates low for world francophones but anyone from Canada pays double.

And then what? Quebec refuses to develop a small business economy; its corrupt unions prevent them from developing. Its enormous black market economy ensures that taxes aren't paid to either the federal or provincial government, and the amount of provincial and municipal corruption adds to the mess

And Quebec insists that Canadians support such a welfare state, such a corrupt, such an arrogant lifestyle? Why? Don't try that 'getting money from your boss' tactic.

Quebec isn't employed by Canadians; Quebec is a fraudulent welfare taker who insists on taking but contributing nothing. I know you have no principles or morality and feel no shame in this, but Canadians have had ENOUGH.

Undoubtedly, the next six months will be occupied by the PQ demanding more from the ROC right up until their first budget. The will be abetted by Mulcair and the NDP in the name of "national unity".

I, for one, did not vote for Stephen Harper, to cowtow to Quebec and will not be dissappointed, but downright angry, if he makes a single concession to Quebec. We have bent ourselves into a pretzel long enough.

If PMSH shows some spine and does not give in, the failure of the first PQ budget will be blamed upon him and the ROC, hopefully leading to a PQ majority.

Let us forever be rid of these parasites. Let us have our own constitution that truly represents our British heritage. We will be far better off without them.

ct, no, the CAQ is not a separatist party. It's platform was focused on the economy and its mention of a 'referendum' was 'not for ten years', which effectively means never. Its focus was on the economy.

I view the election as a rebuke of the status quo economy, and a rejection of the enormous hold of the unions and corruption in Quebec. Nothing to do with separation.

In a way, that's a problem. The election showed the concern over the economy, but Quebecers still refuse to take charge, to grow up and develop their own economy.

They insist on remaining the 'employee' of the federal government - all those jobs in the federal bureaucracy. All those jobs subsidized by the federal government. They totally refuse to set up any businesses of their own. Remember how they sued WalMart for not putting up a store where they could work? Did they ever think to develop their own store? Nope.

They are the 50 year old 'teenager in the basement', focusing only on their culture, ie, their clothes, their cell phones, their gossip, their special language...and ignoring any requirement to go out and develop a business of their own.

An enormous change in the situation is the Canadian perspective. Not only has the Canadian economy shifted west but Canadians are tired of this abuse of the taxpayer by Quebec. They are no longer enchanted by bilingualism and view it as costly and as preventing the majority of Canadians from getting federal jobs. And they are totally fed up and tuning out Quebec's endless demands for more and more and more. While contributing nothing.

Can't get too excited about a Separatist attaining a minority in Quebec, what we need to watch for is how far she will get with her extreme ideas and racist policies.

Let's see how the PM handles her demands, remembering he got a majority without Quebec.

Let's also watch how Mulcair handles this one as well.

@9:05 - "Marois has devoted her political career to destroying the Dominion. Last night she narrowly escaped being repaid in full for her treason before the eyes of all Canadians. For once justice would have been seen to be done against those who plot against the Queen of Canada."

I wonder where Slater was last night.

ET - "Quebec only 'develops' its so-called 'culture', denying that others also have 'culture'. It focuses on its isolation. Of language, of...what, other than language? What culture?"

Well, there are those pervy little stores all over Montreal. I guess that might qualify as "culture".

Quebecois NPD Separatiste, 9:38a.m. --

I'd say that your comments are in many ways bang-on. I think sometimes it's ironic how people come to pretty much the same spot through completely different thought processes.

You're off base in one way though -- what possible motivation does Francois Legault have to team up with Pauline? He's about the future of Quebec, not the past -- why would he sully himself by getting into bed with her (other than, of course, the entirely predictable short-term consideration of not wanting to be seen to be provoking another election right away). To the extent that they do work together, she'll be marching to the beat of his drum, not the other way around.

Without putting too fine a point on it, the swamp (I meant swamp in yesterday's post, not swap) got seriously drained last night. The PQ government is DOA, as ET correctly points out. But for lack of a regional base and fear of the unknown, Legault would be premier-designate today. QS got about two to four percent less of the popular vote than the polls were indicating, and the Liberals got about three to five percent more. For purposes of argument, I take that to mean last minute panic on both sides of the old divide. It seems unlikely to me that that will happen again.

As far as devolution of federal powers is concerned, Stephen Harper's already doing that -- which, by the way, he was elected to do by us dumb-ass Anglos. Flaherty (who's a native Quebecker, I might add) effectively gutted the Canada Health Act with his funding plan, and Tom Flanagan made an excellent case the other day, on purely common sense economic terms, for the transfer of at least some elements of EI to the provinces. Hmmm...two Irishmen -- that can't be good (I'm half-Irish, so it's just a joke).

As for you, you'll probably need a new handle. Because as much as Quebeckers say they hate Stephen Harper, y'all just handed him the biggest political victory of his career last night. I suspect that your supposed animosity toward him stems from something you've realized for a while -- there's only one game in town. Canada is a very comfortable country, which has become a lot more comfortable for alot of us in the last seven years. Give it a try -- I think you'll find the same. Despite our pissyness, there isn't anyone I know that really wants Quebec to separate -- and they all vote Conservative. And in case you think I'm gloating, I'm not: there is a deep and abiding respect for Quebec in this country, but we're tired of the same old, same old.

Which brings me to my last point: #NARRATIVEFAIL. I believe that the central Canadian media has been pushing for a PQ government (just look at yesterday's Toronto Star, for example, or the CBC's overbearing coverage of the student protests, or this Stephen Maher garbage) for the sole purpose of shaking Ontario confidence in Stephen Harper, so that they could get back to the halcyon days of the seventies. They couldn't do it with the "hidden agenda" (so hidden that even us co-conspirators don't know what it is), and they apparently couldn't do it with this nonsense. A very happy set of circumstances for all involved.

Condolences to the family's of the deceased and injured.
My feelings on the political wants and needs of Quebec is total indifference. The type of indifference that I would estimate a large number of Canadians share. It would seem to me that the screaming wanters in Quebec should really factor in such indifference from those whom they seek to extort.
The worst bargaining position possible is when your opponent just doesn't give a damn what you want or say.

Nice outline, David Southam. I'd agree with your view of the CAQ and Legault. He's about the future of Quebec. [ But then so was the ADQ, so was Bouchard's Manifesto which was rejected.]

Marois and the PQ are Quebec's past, and Charest was the status quo. I'll give Marois until her budget, then the next election would put Legaualt in as Premier.

That is, if Marois is isolationist and naive enough to actually live in the separatist narrative of the past, and ignorant enough to ignore that Quebec has a dead economy - will she just focus on the old 'give me more' from Canada? Harper won't do it.

Interesting how Quebec refuses to sign the Constitution but insists on its axioms, such as having a minimum of 75 and more seats in the House even when its population doesn't merit such.

The key question is whether Quebecers will continue to reject economic self-organization and self-development in favour of a continued immature reliance on the Canadian taxpayer or whether sheer economic pressures will force them to grow up. The lone example we have here of Quebecois NDP is of someone who remains in his parent's home and insists on total support.

I don't read the Toronto Star or watch the CBC so am not upto date on their narrative but both are pretty predictable in living in the 1970s.

@ 11:20, ET, foul left-leaning ways? Nope, you have that totally wrong.