Never-endum - The Reach for Meech by a leech

I thought this was a semantic debate?

By 1990, Stephen Harper had left the Conservative Party to work for the first elected Reform MP, Deb Grey (R - Trailblazer, CA - Leader of the Opposition, DRC - Day Sucks)

There is academic debate about why the Reform Party was formed, but I have always been of the view that but for the Charlottetown Accord, they would have never taken off. When you get federal funds under the Referendum Act to yell "NO" at the top of your lungs for two months, people notice you. My one line view of the birth of the Reform Party is "Stop pandering to Quebec, Dear Leader." I know it was more than that, but I think we can all agree that antagonism to the favouritism shown towards Quebec was a key part of it.

In the middle of Charlottetown was the notion of a distinct society, and whether or not Quebec constituted a distinct society within Canada. Harper opposed it then, and he obviously opposed it in 1996 when he voted against it in the House of Commons. FYI- the federal NDP and the Liberals supported Charlottetown, so their position remains consistent. As did then Premier of Ontario, Bob Rae (L - I was actually at the table Iggy)

Fast forward a decade. By tautological implication, a nation within a nation would have to be a distinct society of some kind, would it not?

Very much unlike enshrining a distinct society clause into the constitution, the legal effect of the government's motion before the House of Commons is not nearly as profound. Yes, it could be adduced as evidence of the "Intent of Parliament" in the future. Yes, it could be seen as a development that alters the original succession reference decision. So what- by that point in time the tanks would already be in the streets and the Hague would be full of Lawyers. If it ever got to that point, the battle would be lost.

You know what it does do? It bumped actual government work off the agenda, though admittedly to my advantage. The House was supposed to be debating the Clean Air Act today- ironic that in muddying the water on the "Frabric" of Canada, the government's own agenda to "clear the air" is put off.

Ultimately, it forces people to talk about an issue which was resting nicely in abeyance while the government worked on issues that actually matter to ordinary Canadians. The government says that this will be finished by next week. Dream On. This is only the first step, and like just like 1987-1992, it will entirely dominate the government until it is done to the satisfaction of the political "nations" that demanded the attention.

I like to say things like "Will defining Quebec as a nation help the poorest people of Quebec?" Can its poor eat their nationhood? Let's all remember that outside of the corridor, rural Quebec is probably just as poor, if not poorer, than every other impoverished area in the country. Do they even care if the federal government calls them a nation? If this symbolism is what they think is the most important, I will never understand.

As with Mulroney, Mr. Harper will find out very quickly that it is impossible to satisfy, let alone mollify, everyone simultaneously on this issue. I hope it rips his party apart the same way it ripped apart the party he left to form the party that formed half of his current party. Remember what happened the last time?

I can't wait for it to happen again and it will sting twice as much knowing that Harper is from the absolute eye of the Alberta storm. You know who else got money under the Referendum Act?

Surprised?