Une petite question, version 112

I agree with Wells, Coyne, Cherniak, the lot. Calling Stephane Dion a vendu is really cheap. It's an insult that some folks here in Quebec like to use for those who stand up for Canada and for the reality that Quebecers are better off in the federation. In the case of Mr. Dion, it's usually been deployed against him after he has exhausted separatist/sovereignist logic. It's been used against him often, so I can't imagine he gets too hurt by it now. His skin is pretty thick. But still, he certainly doesn't deserve it.

But let's run with the argument that it is an unforgivable insult. What say backers of former Prime Minister Paul Martin, whose campaign deployed it against Chretien in 1990? If he can be forgiven for it, why not Harper?

Three thoughts on the Quebec election

I provide these without links (and with apologies):

1.) It is unclear to me exactly why this outcome advantages Harper. The argument being advanced this morning is that this shows that there is a stronger conservative sentiment in Quebec than we knew about a day ago. And this sentiment is particularly tied to social values, concerns about the family, and concerns about immigration. But can Harper really hit hard on those issues in Quebec (especially reasonable accomodation) and not pay an electoral cost in the rest of the country, especially among the visible minorities he is so assiduously courting?
2.) You can call Dumont Le Pen if you like, but what last night's result shows is that when mainstream parties fail to address the concerns of a large part of the population - that is, when they fail to lead on those concerns and to set the agenda - then more marginal forces can grab a hold and make them a winning issue. It's a heresthetic (look it up), and it worked masterfully for Dumont, particularly because the other parties were not proactive.
3.) Boisclair is obviously done. And this hurts Charest. While I think he can hold on, it is made marginally more difficult by the fact that the PQ will soon be without a leader. If disgruntled Liberals can throw Charest over the side fast enough they can elect a new leader and premier - perhaps finding him at a Jean Talon market - while the new PQ leader is still finding his feet (or his way back from Ottawa).

Who would you be more surprised to see at Harvard?

Apparently, Andre Boisclair was surprised to see so many people with "slanted eyes" at Harvard. As a friend said, I am sure they were surprised to see a university drop-out there. What a dick.

Cree opposition to Eastmain 1-A

I've now written and lost two post on this topic. The new Blogger is crap, apparently. Here's the short version: The Globe has a story this afternoon on emerging Cree opposition to the Eastmain 1-A hydro project. The project will need to the diversion of the Rupert River and the flooding of 400 sq/km of land (which is a lot or a little depending on perspective).

The Chief of Chisasibi is opposed (though his community is about 400 kms from the Rupert). I for one am torn, and my feelings are captured by a quote from Chief Mukash of the Grand Council of Crees: “When you lose something, when you lose a loved one, you go through a phase of grief. But in the end there's always light at the end of the tunnel.” Or a bay at the end of the river, so to speak.

UPDATE: And for a great example of uninformed but passionate opinion, check out the Globe discussion. It's like SDA on steroids.

UPDATE2: I've shamelessly copied and pasted a pretty breathtaking photo of the Rupert. You can see a whole slideshow of these here.

Update3(more or less unrelated): Speaking of SDA and great photos, I recommend you check out these. McCormick is a hell of a photographer.

"L'énigmatique Monsieur Mazhari"

I am sitting in a friend's unbelievable apartment in Toronto reading La Presse. Figures, as I read the Star religiously when I am in Montreal. Anyways, there is a great article today on the absolute whackjob to whom Miriam Bedard is married. This, for me, is the killer paragraph:

Ceux qui ont croisé la route de Nima Mazhari s'entendent sur une chose : c'est un homme qui raconte des histoires abracadabrantes. Genre : il fut ami de Picasso. Il est devenu riche grâce à une usine de fabrication de fausses pièces de Mercedes. Il a convaincu Jean Chrétien de ne pas participer à l'invasion de l'Irak. Et il a tenté, en vain, pendant un an, de prévenir les autorités américaines des attaques de 2001.

All in all this is a sad story of a bizarre couple.

UPDATE: Dennis, you want it, you got it. A poor translation:

Those who cross paths with Nima Mazhari come across the same thing: he's a man who tells unbelievable/incredible/magical stories. Example: he was a friend of Picasso. He became rich through a plant fabricating Mercedes parts. He convinced Jean Chretien to not participate in the invasion of Iraq. And he tried for one year, in vein, to inform American authorities of the attacks in 2001.

Hello Harper, goodbye Rupert

Stephen Harper made a visit to Quebec yesterday. Aside from affirming that English Quebecers and are not a part of the Quebec nation, he also announced that the Eastmain power generation project will go forward, meaning that the government will divert the Rupert River.

I've written earlier about the Rupert; about its spine-shattering rapids, its route across the bottom of the Taiga, its absolute magnificence. But I've also witnessed the material wealth and security afforded to Cree communities in Northern Quebec which shames that of the Crees on the Ontario side of James Bay. So, I am torn about the value of this project. The benefits are clear, but the drawbacks are perhaps harder to put into numbers. What I am certain about, however, is that everyone who can you should hop on the James Bay Highway and see the Rupert before it's gone.