Today's big Quebec policy announcement by Stephen Harper is exactly the right message to be sending to Quebec:
The Conservative leader said Monday he would allow Quebec to play a role in international institutions such as UNESCO when its cultural responsibilities are at stake. The province already participates in la Francophonie, but Harper said he'd look at expanding that to other groups. He also pledged to recognize provincial autonomy "as well as the special cultural and institutional responsibilities of the Quebec government."
And he said a Tory government would correct the so-called fiscal imbalance between the federal government and the provinces, although he offered no specifics on how he would do that.
Harper is really saying the right things.
UPDATE: Check out the below comment, in response to my prediction that the Globe will be hunting for a story about a Tory candidate wanting to invoke the notwithstanding clause on same-sex marriage: "A G&M reporter, Clark Campbell, just called our campaign (we are in E. Ont.with a Conserv. incumbant [sic]) looking for a quote from the MP on same-sex marriage."
UPDATE II: Today (Tuesday) Harper is continuing to hammer the Liberals on Quebec, pointing out the perverse truth that the Liberal and Bloc feed off each other and that the Grits need a separatist government in Québec City.
UPDATE III: Oh no. Just what the Tories didn't need.
UPDATE IV: Stéphane Dion totally lost it tonight on Countdown with Mike Duffy regarding Harper's comments. Watch and see.
UPDATE V: Another shrewd move by Harper on Quebec: If Martin is too chicken to debate Gilles Duceppe one on one, he will. Nothing to lose.
