Usually, public opinion polls seven months before an election are just a ‘Ho-hum.’ They have little meaning. The recent Leger poll in Quebec was an exception. What it told us was that François Legault’s right wing separatist party was getting some right-wing competition. It could mean an opportunity for one of the left-of-centre parties and a change of government in Quebec.
But it is early. No major change is yet in the offing. Change requires both push and pull. It requires one or more parties to pull into contention territory. It requires people across the province pushing for change.
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has been the only right-wing party in the province. It is a spin-off from the left-wing Parti Québécois.
But the new right-wing Parti conservateur du Québec (PCQ) is delving into the growth in extreme right-wing politics and gaining attention. The fact that a well-known radio host, Éric Duhaime is leading the party is a factor. He is something of a trouble maker and has been accused of promoting Islamophobia and speaking out against immigration. He is unlikely to get a break in Montreal where the liberals are still strong but he could cause trouble for the CAQ in the Quebec City region.
You have to assume that Legault has already recognized the potential damage from the PCQ and that is why he pulled back on the proposed health tax on the unvaccinated. He can hardly afford to lose too many of the far right.
Legault must be regretting his lockdowns now. Even though he has announced the end of most measures by March 14, he is being criticized for the delay. He hardly wants to give the extreme right more of a target for their anger.
It has been a long time since Quebec had a clearly right-wing provincial government. Few would remember the Maurice “Le Chef” Duplessi era, the Union Nationale and the Padlock Law.
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Copyright 2022 © Peter Lowry
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