The ADQ and federalism

[siobhan63]

Following the outcome of yesterday's Quebec election and  the strong showing of the Action démocratique party, a lot of people are going around celebrating the fact that the PQ finished 3rd and that 2 "federalist" parties now govern Quebec. For those of you who think the ADQ is a "federalist" party, consider that the party's platform includes:

• Quebec should adopt its own constitution;
• Quebec should collect all federal taxes in the province and break federal laws if necessary to ensure full development of the province;
• they want to rename the province the "Autonomous State of Quebec"
• they would adopt dual citizenship with Canada;
• there would be yearly meetings between members of the National Assembly and Quebec MPs;
• Quebec be represented at all international forums "to affirm its sovereign rights" in areas of its exclusive jurisdiction and other areas of shared jurisdiction with Ottawa

What you need to understand is that SuperMario is appealing to nationalists who support sovereignty but don't think the PQ can deliver. The ADQ won't attempt to actually separate, but they will attempt to essentially make Quebec "autonomous" within Canada. Sovereignty isn't dead - it's just adopting on a new tactic.