CAQ: Francophone power | The Journal of Quebec

To be honest, this title will make English speakers cringe from coast to coast who in their hearts now have more consideration, official if not felt, for the Aboriginal nations than for the Quebec “nation”.

This French-speaking power, which swept Quebec except Montreal, is not without detractors in English Canada. We just have to read the media coast to coast which combine francophones with racists, xenophobes, islamophobes and other words of the same ilk.

Some anticaquistes believed that François Legault and his ex-minister Jean Boulet, re-elected, let us specify, should have been sanctioned by the voters because of their unwelcome remarks on immigration. But it was nothing. This does not mean, however, that their choice of words could be justified. Let’s not forget that words are never innocent. Especially in politics.

On the other hand, the Anglophone power which allowed the PLQ to dominate the political life of Quebec has always had good press in English Canada. As an ex-Liberal who used his political influence for decades told me yesterday and who now only speaks on condition of anonymity, « without the political power of Montreal, the economic center is all of Quebec who is in danger”.

However, the CAQ – and some nationalists reproach it for this – includes federalist elected officials, all French-speaking, pure vintages of the business world. They inherited during the first mandate of all the ministries with an economic vocation. Despite the pandemic, the Quebec economy has performed well, thanks to their skills and experience.

This election was painful in several respects. Above all, it sent back the image of an angry Quebec, unfriendly, worried, intolerant in its extremes.

The divide between Montreal, refuge for Anglophones, and the rest of Quebec, a metaphor for the great family of native or chosen Francophones, is deep. In this regard, the PLQ, which only includes 6% of Francophones, has been transformed into a geographical island of Montreal that does not bode well for a bright future. Except in English!

Dominique Anglade conducted his campaign with permanent aggressiveness. It seems to persist and François Legault will have to choose with particular care who will chair the National Assembly. This person will have a lot to do to impose his authority on tenor roosters like Nadeau-Dubois or Bernard Drainville and on the supercharged opposition leader Dominique Anglade.

French, secularism and immigration

As for the Prime Minister, he will have to rediscover the seriousness that served him so well in helping Quebecers get through the worst moments of the pandemic. This victory on Monday finds its source in the exemplary behavior and the moderate tone that we have known for him.

This clear victory of French-speaking Quebec power embodied by François Legault has a downside. He has an obligation to affirm loud and clear that the fight for French, secularism, as well as the control of our immigration and the powers attached to it are not negotiable.

• Listen to Denise Bombardier’s editorial on Richard Martineau’s show broadcast live every day at 9:48 a.m. via QUB-radio :

The indecent declaration of Justin Trudeau announcing his desire to increase the number of immigrants imperatively is a slap in the face of François Legault. An insult to his victory last Monday.

As if the power of Quebec francophones was a rattle in the eyes of the post-national Prime Minister of Canada.