Layton temporarily stepping down

[Holmes]

It doesn't matter whether or not that's true. The Bloc is toxic, and her association will bring the NDP down.

[MaxQue]

Well, English Canadians should be happy than independantists become federalists.

Nobody is slamming Charest because he voted yes in 1980.

[Teddy (IDS Legislator)]

Being a member of the Bloc does not automatically mean you are a seppie.

It doesn't matter whether or not that's true. The Bloc is toxic, and her association will bring the NDP down.

We are both right.

It matters weather English Canadians think it's true; and that remains to be seen.

[Smid]

A very high-risk strategy... The NDP has to be careful it doesn't become seen to be the New Bloc Party.

[DL]

Of course within Quebec, the more the other parties go on a McCarthyist witch-hunt demanding "are you now or have you ever been a supporter of the Bloc Quebecois?" the more it will make NDP support in Quebec solidify like concrete. The Liberals and Conservatives are telling about 60% of francophone Quebecers that they have no right to participate in federal politics...Given that the Liberals and Tories are now virtually non-existent in francophone Quebec, this will only keep them both in the toilet. The NDP is meanwhile telling people who were once sovereignist that they have a face saving way of coming back to federalism.

BTW: For a party that is supposedly kow-towing to Quebec - the NDP seems to be doing some odd things - like supporting the Lower Churchill Falls project that the Quebec government opposes and calling for the Quebec based asbestos industry to be shut down.

In the next election over four years from now, either Layton will be back in the saddle or the NDP will be in year three of being led by its next leader - and the next leader will be either Thomas Mulcair r Gary Doer - both men with impeccable federalist credentials. The fact that so-and-so was holding the fort for a few months a few years earlier will be totally irrelevant.

[mileslunn]

I think being a former separtist is not that toxic in Quebec, but in English Canada it is and while this might help solidify the NDP in Quebec, they have to pick up a whole wack of seats in English Canada if they want to form government.  The problem is few English Canadians understand Quebec nationalism very well and many in English Canada see it as a black/white issue, whereas many in Quebec see it more in shades of gray, otherwise they aren't for remaining in Canada at all costs, but nor do they favour separtism either under all scenarios.  Also I think the fact it was very recent is another issue.  If it was 20 or 30 years ago, then it would be less of an issue.  While it is true many on the left voted BQ because they supported their social democratic policies, not separtism, this isn't widely understood in English Canada.  This is why the coalition attempt in 2008 was quite popular in Quebec, but very unpopular in English Canada as many in Quebec saw it is a three centre-left parties working together while many in English Canada saw it as a sellout to the separtists. 

[DL]

Of course the NDP was the only party that defended the idea of forming a coalition and making a deal with the Bloc Quebecois and they went on to win 103 seats and make major gains in votes and seats all across English Canada - so if there really is such a negative reaction to any cooperation with the BQ - why was the NDP rewarded instead of punished at the polls in English Canada?

What i don't get is that people in English Canada claim that they want to embrace Quebec and want Quebec to remain in Canada and they claim to rejoice at Quebecers expressing loyalty to Canada - and yet when Quebecers SWITCH from being sovereignists to embracing federalist Canadian parties - people bitch and complain as if they cannot take yes for an answer. If Quebecers are abandoning the Bloc Quebecois and instead supporting a federalist party that has representation across Canada - that should be cause for rejoicing, not cause for a witch hunt. If people are serious about wanting Quebec to stay in Canada - they should be applauding Nycole Turmel for rejecting the BQ and getting elected with a federalist party rather than condemning and essentially telling her she ought to go back to chanting "Vive le Quebec Libre"

I agree that if the in 2015, the NDP is led by someone who is an unrepentent supporter of  Quebec sovereignty - it will be bad news - but there is ZERO chance of that happening.

[Hatman 🍁]

She only joined to support her friend, anyways. What's the big deal?

[Foucaulf]

The attack against Turmel rests on making three presumptions:

-That, although she is "interim leader", she is still the person through which NDP policy passes through.
-That her situation resembles, or is symbolic of the majority NDP Quebec caucus.
-That the Bloquistes joined the party for souverainisme first and foremost.

All of this makes the talking point of the NDP being the Bloc's successor so much more potent, a talking point the English media is wringing with no shame. Look at this editorial in the Globe: "Not since Lucien Bouchard and Gilles Duceppe has someone whose loyalty to federalism appeared so tepid and fair-weather [was opposition leader]"? Seriously?

I haven't been this enraged about a political issue in a long time; I think I'll stop here.

[RogueBeaver]

McCarthyite witchhunts will not help either we Tories or our Liberal friends, especially since most Francophones are cultural nationalists to one degree or another. To Liberals who might be tempted to mount the high horse: two words: "Jean Lapierre." She voted NON twice, which IMO is the only thing that matters in this whole mess.

The ROC pantsh**tting from all 3 Toronto-based broadsheets is overkill and will only get the NDP sympathy as an Establishment gang-up victim. There are other, more subtle ways to undermine the NDP's position here in Quebec.