My my, maybe we should call this Tipping Point part III, for Walsingham believes Harper has just saved the country, by tipping confederation back to first principles and its original intent:"I think you should all pay a little heed to Splendor Sine Occasu: he's the only one on target on this whole thread.
Harper has done nothing more than turn the implacable reality of the Quebec situation into a major lever of execution of his strategy (and it is a true and brilliant "blue ocean" strategy folks - go hit the business literature if you don't know what that means...) Contrary to the allusions of some on this thread, that strategy is all about a vision of Canada that is firmly rooted in clear principles. That that vision is so different from the Trudeau-esque one that has been accepted dogma in this country for forty years must be what is keeping people confused.
As Splendor says, Harper sees Canada as a confederation - and in many respects, as a rather loose one. He is deadly earnest about keeping Ottawa out of the provinces' hair on every matter that is not squarely the prerogative of the federal government. He is, equally earnest about his focus on those core areas of federal jurisdiction, and about keeping them under the exclusive federal purview. In all respects, this vision is 180 degrees opposed to the one that Liberals and Conservatives alike have cleaved to since... well, since almost forever. But it just happens to represent the only basis on which the continued existence of Canada is possible. And it is no accident that it took a Westerner as PM to see it.
The fundamental reality is this: to a large degree, the characteristics and interests of various parts of the country are mutually irreconcible, and the opposing forces are moving toward a critical point in a way they never have before. To the permanent and very real "separateness" of Quebec and the Quebecois we can now add the accelerating shift of the economic centre of gravity in Canada from Montreal-Toronto westward to Calgary-Vancouver. Those two realities cannot long coexist within Canada without some significant change in the political-structural foundations of the country. The only workable such change is the "devolutionism" which defines the Harper vision and strategy. Make no mistake folks: far from destroying Canada, Mr. Harper is doing the only thing possible to save it. Of course, the shape of the country that results will be different from the one we have been accustomed to, but get over it. Who was it that said, "facts can be difficult things?"
So call Quebec a "nation". More to the point, let them call themselves a nation. Let them call themselves a ham sandwich if they so desire. Ditto Alberta and everybody else. The confederalist structure will give everybody a lot of leeway. But none of this leeway will compromise the meaningful integrity of the country, because Mr. Harper has drawn a clear line in the sand. The wall around the areas of federal focus: international relations, defence and security, and basic economic policy; is now higher than ever. Whatever anybody thinks "nation" ought to mean in the context of this resolution, they will find out what it does not mean, at least in Mr. Harper's mind, if they attempt to breach that wall.
The important point in Harper's resolution was not the "nation" bit but the "within a united Canada" bit. It is entirely that latter part which is definitive in the whole thing.
The leeway which the move to a confederalist structure will create either will be, or it will not be, sufficient to satisfy Quebeckers. But the only possible further step for them is outright separation. Harper has made that more clear than ever before, which is precisely why Duceppe reacted so awkwardly in the immediate aftermath. Initially he was furious that, in a sense, the bluff had been called. Subsequently, he said, alright, separation it is. Whether Quebeckers as a whole will agree is another story - and he knows it."
POSTED BY WALSINGHAM