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Blog of Adam Daifallah -- author, journalist, law student. Lover of politics, writing, golf, curling, fitness, fashion, bacon and maple products -- not necessarily (but probably) in that order. Partisan of the Anglosphere. Contact me via email at adam@daifallah.com.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Is the new G-G a Quebec separatist?
The question is worth asking. I wondered as soon as I heard about her appointment and checked around. There's very little information. But this morning Bourque was headlining "NEW GG HUBBY BEST KNOWN FOR PRO-SOVEREIGNTY FILM LA LIBERTE EN COLERE".
Jean-Daniel Lafond's La Liberté en colère is a documentary about the men behind the FLQ crisis and is considered quite sympathetic to the separatist cause.
Then I saw this, written by a Quebec journalism student interning at Radio-Canada, Mme. Jean's (now-former) place of employment:
Selon mes sources bien informées, qui tous une une très grande admiration pour Michaëlle, celle-ci aurait des opinions politiques très tranchées. Notamment, elle aurait souvent manifesté son nationalisme québécois, son penchant en faveur de la souveraineté du Québec et son opposition à cette institution vétuste qu'est la représentation de la Reine d'Angleterre au Canada.
Here's a rough translation (corrections/improvements welcome):
Acccording to my well-informed sources, all of whom greatly admire Michaëlle, she has some very open political opinions. Notably, she often made her Quebec nationalism known, her preference in favour of Quebec sovereignty and her opposition to the antiquated institution of the Queen of England's representative in Canada.
The post goes on to say that Mme. Jean took a long time to decide to accept Martin's offer, and, according to his sources, did so in the end because she saw it as a good way to advance the causes she cares about: child poverty, violence against women, and the situation in Haïti.
Now, it could be that Mme. Jean is just a Quebec nationalist. Not all nationalists are separatists, of course. But if she is in fact a "real" separatist, I think it would be a big-time political embarassment. Surely Martin and his people did due diligence?
And before anyone makes a snarky comment: no, Brian Mulroney's appointment of Lucien Bouchard as ambassador to Paris would not compare.
UPDATE: For an absolutely spectacular commentary on the new GG, see The Monarchist.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 5:29 PM
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