Pauline's Window of Opportunity

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The conventional wisdom in the mainstream press is that the new PQ minority government of Pauline Marois will be hamstrung and unable to bring forward much of the controversial new programs that the party enunciated throughout the election campaign.

We've read countless articles in Quebec and national newspapers assuring us that Ottawa's best course of action is to ignore Marois, since there is no mandate for a referendum or any support for a broad attack on federalism, for that matter.

"Now, once again, we're to be treated to the tedious, deliberate provocations, always delivered in a tone of tragic victimization, that have made Quebec separatists by far our most annoying countrymen (and women) since, oh, 1976.
And yet, what if it doesn't matter?
What if nobody came or even paid much attention?" Michael Den Tandt, Postmedia Newsink

"And that’s precisely why the emerging Conservative and New Democratic approach to provocations by Marois and her cohort of revolutionaries – that is, benign, serene indifference – is the correct one." Link

As is often my case, I remain at odds with the conventional wisdom, it seems to me that the advice to ignore Marois is not only dangerous but gratuitous. Easy for them to say...

Perhaps all that concerns Ottawa and the RoC is the reopening of the sovereignty or national unity debate, something that obviously they don't want to see happen.
But with that danger clearly of no concern, the ROC can safely take Quebec politics off the national stage and whether Madame Marois runs riot over the Quebec economy and whether she imposes more and more restrictions on the Anglo and Ethnic minority is clearly of no import to anybody but ourselves.

I guess there's nothing unexpected or unfair in that, but taking disingenuous advice from those who have no dog in the fight, is the height of folly.
Marois and the PQ remain dangerous, a clear and present danger to our community, even if nobody in Canada seems to care.

While newspapers like the Toronto Sun can write the nastiest and snarkiest articles that dismiss Marois and her government, we Quebecers, especially Anglos and ethnics, can't really afford the luxury of benign indifference,

"It would be safe to conclude that Quebec has a delusional woman as its new premier, who believes she can wield a power that doesn't exist.
Pauline Marois, unlike in The Emperor's New Clothes, is naked as a jaybird except to those equally unfit to run a province so dependent upon the billions in transfer payments that come from federalism.
To them, to all those aging Pequistes and student-movement crybabies, she is dressed to the nines, the belle of the ball, and ready to take on Ottawa with her eyes-wide-shut view of separatism.
If this is the best the Parti Quebecois can muster, it is doomed."  PQ's gong show has just begun

Perhaps it is true, just as the newspaper crows, that the PQ is doomed, but we here in Quebec are along for the disastrous ride, something that those in the RoC who wish separatists ill fortune, don't understand or care.

And so the question to consider, is what sort of damage can Pauline inflict, even in her minority position and readers I am sad to report that the answer is quite a lot.

Obviously the PQ government cannot meet Parliament with an aggressive legislative agenda that would leave the opposition no choice but to defeat the government, damn the consequences. But that being said, there's a lot the PQ can do without ever having to face the National Assembly.

One of the first things that the PQ announced was that is was cancelling the tuition hikes, as well as certain aspects to the controversial Bill 78, the law that put constraints on demonstrations.

All this is to be done by way of 'Decrees' (orders in council) or cabinet-ordained modifications of existing laws, something that defies our democracy, when used abusively.
These 'decrees' are supposed to be minor, non-controversial, re-interpretations or modifications to existing laws, but using them to make fundamental changes in legislation duly passed by the National Assembly, is an attack on our democracy.

Are we back to the days where the King or Queen had the power to accept or reject laws passed by the duly-elected representatives of the people?
If these decrees can be used in such a cavalier manner, does it mean that we are now to be governed by fiat?
This dangerous and undemocratic vehicle, whereby duly passed laws are hacked and butchered by the Premier and her cabinet at will, means that Parliament (National Assembly) is no longer the ultimate authority in our province, something all democrats should oppose.

If Premier Marois decides to use these decrees on a wholesale level, we can expect some of the PQ election promises to pass into law without the consent of the National Assembly.

These election promises, like the imposition of Bill 101 on companies having between eleven and fifty employees and/or the application of eligibility rules for English education in cegeps, can actually be imposed on us without the consent of the National Assembly!

And so the PQ can play footsie with the law, as long as it is not too blatant and as long as the National Assembly allows them to do so.

Already we are hearing that the $200 a head health tax is too be abolished, replaced by a retroactive increase in taxes on the rich. All this through the power of decree!

Aside from that frightening scenario, the PQ government can also avail themselves of simple administrative changes that can also have devastating and lasting effects on our community.

For example, the PQ can easily increase the number of inspectors in the OQLF and set them on a more aggressive campaign of enforcement, no permission needed! 
The government can also impose new changes pertaining to English services at its whim, just by giving instruction to the ministries. It doesn't take an act of the National Assembly, or even a decree to effect these changes.

With the Liberals tied up in a leadership campaign that will last until the beginning of next year and thus loath to bring down the government in the interim, it may just give the PQ a narrow window this Fall to try and pass some of its more controversial legislation.
The question remains as to whether Madame Marois will try to do so, as such a plan would carry an element of risk. Let us not forget Prime Minister Joe Clark's folly, a similar failed gambit in 1979 that saw his minority Conservative government taken down after just seven months in office.
Most likely she will not risk her position, she has worked too hard and waited too long to become Premier to roll the dice.

But while Pauline may be somewhat handicapped in Parliament, it doesn't mean that she cannot or will not wreak separatist havoc upon us.

Make no mistake, we are in for a very rough ride and although no broad, direct and frontal attack is on the horizon, we can surely be just as dead from an attack of a thousand cuts.

She has already shown us just how petty she can be, by removing the Canadian flag from the National Assembly for the swearing in ceremony and I expect her and her ministers to continue the petty minded persecution of anything Anglo or Canadian.

Hold on tight, it's about to get very uncomfortable and nasty.

****************************************  NOTE TO READERS I've been asked to tighten up the comments section and I've heard what you have to say.
Gratuitous insults against other commenters will no longer be tolerated and the rule applies to everyone, not just S.R.

Secondly, I'd like to see readers address the the content of the blog piece of the day.
While all opinions are welcome and it is impossible not to run off on a tangent, it would be interesting if we could focus somewhat on the topic of the today.

Again, it is just a suggestion, no comments will be removed if they are appropriate and follow the rules as listed in the green bar at the top of the page.

Today's question:
How will A&E's (Anglos & Ethnics) fare under Marois and what can we expect?
Are we going to get clobbered or is she going to be respectful?

It's your turn.