Four days before Prime Minister Mark Carney called this snap election, I warned in this space that the “Rest of Canada” should be careful not to overinterpret the rise in Canadian pride among Quebecers. Since it became clear that U.S. President Donald Trump wasn’t joking about turning Canada into the 51st state, Quebecers had rallied behind the Maple Leaf — standing shoulder to shoulder with the ROC to keep the country strong and united.
That surge of Canadian patriotism gave the federal Liberal Party a lift. Quebecers may not fully understand Carney’s French, but his resumé passed the job interview. And while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s French may be better, his “direct” style and a certain “je ne sais quoi” still manage to rub most Quebecers the wrong way. As for the Bloc? Its mission isn’t to speak for Quebec in Washington — it’s to look after Quebec in Ottawa.
