It's a case of "whoda thunk it?" A week ago - well actually 2 days ago - Michael Ignatieff was on the ropes in his campaign to become Liberal leader and one of the key contributing factors to his distress was his position that Quebecers constitute a nation. The Liberal Party in Quebec, and its leader (former Progressive Conservative Party of Canada leader) Jean Charest were on-side but the rest of the leadership candidates were squirming over how to retain and build support in Quebec while denying the obvious and purporting that Ingatieff's position would lead to the demise of Canada.
John Ibittson got it right in The Globe and Mail this morning when he said no one saw this coming. The Prime Minister's announcement yesterday that the House of Commons would be asked to approve a motion recognising Quebecois as a "nation within a united Canada" was stunning. With the near unanimous support of the federalist parties, it may resolve an issue that I remember from my earliest interest in politics: the feud between John Diefenbaker and Robert Stanfield over "two nations/deux nations". Pierre Trudeau and successors exploited the debate for three decades and while the former PM may be roiling in his grave today, Canadians can be thankful if the issue is behind us. Fortunately, we have not heard from Justin Trudeau today. No doubt he's busy shoveling soil back on his father's grave.
Michael Ignatieff is feeling vindicated and taking at least as much credit as he is due. He raised the question because for most Canadians over 30 years of age, it's self evident that Quebecers are distinct with their own language and legal system. What was expected to be a controversial and divisive issue at next week's leadership convention, now may not even be debated as attention turns to other matters. And the Ignatieff campaign is reinvigorated - just when I had written him off. And Bob Rae is looking again like yesterday's man.
Not unexpectedly, there were reports of dissent in the streets in Alberta and British Columbia today. Some, Albertans especially, still seem to believe that acknowledging the obvious will mean preferential treatment for Quebec. Only Albertans are so pathologically anxious that someone else in Canada might have something they do not. They show the social maturity of school yard and the next big break will come when another politician has the gumption to tell Albertan to "grow up".
Vive les Québécois(es)! Vive les Canadien(ne)s! Long live Canada and all Canadians.
