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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, May 03, 2007
Time to hang up the skates
I rarely read Jeffrey Simpson. But yesterday, the Globe headline writers' choice of words -- "Harper fishes for votes in Quebec with Canada's future" -- intrigued me enough to give it a quick skim through.
After reading a few sentences, I was reminded of something Michael Bliss, the erudite and opinionated Canadian historian, told me at a dinner party a couple of years ago.
"Professor Bliss," I said, approaching him, my hand extended to shake his. "We miss you. Why aren't you writing much anymore?"
"Well," he replied, smiling, "To be honest, I was afraid that if I kept writing, I'd start sounding like an angry old man."
Jeffrey Simpson might want to heed Professor Bliss's advice. When you write about something like Canadian national politics for two, three, four decades (I've lost count) without stopping, you are bound to run out of interesting things to say. Simpson's best before date was in about 1982, after he wrote that excellent book, Discipline of Power, about Joe Clark's failed 1979 government.
Today, Simpson (who's son is, or at least was, an Liberal Party staffer) takes Stephen Harper to task for trying to appeal to francophone Quebec voters. Simpson makes it sound like Harper's strategy is scandalous and almost akin to treason. The PM actually said, in public, that he wants a strong, autonomous and proud Quebec! The gall.
In truth, what Harper is doing is neither scandalous nor innovative. He is doing what every single Conservative leader who has succeeded in Quebec has done, whether it be Sir John A. or Diefenbaker or Mulroney. Despite the constant hysteria of Simpson, Andrew Coyne's et al., there is nothing wrong with appealing to francophone nationalist voters. Indeed, it is the only known winning formula for a Tory majority.
I particularly enjoyed this line from the column:
The sturdy walls Mr. Harper builds between himself and serious journalists prevent questioning.
Translation:
The sturdy walls Mr. Harper builds between himself and me prevent me from getting an interview with him and I'm bitter.
I apologize if this is harsh, but this stuff is not fit for publishing in a serious national newspaper.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 1:04 AM
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