What a difference a day makes.

It was one of those history-making events where maybe years from now, you can say, "I was there when."

It was perhaps the beginning of a true, two-party system in Canada.

Like the relatives that stayed far too long, the Bloc has been sent on its way to the dustbins of history. It will be remembered as an angry voice of protest, self-interest and not much else.

Gilles Duceppe will walk away with a pension of $140,000 a year, with many of his Bloc colleagues not far behind.

Not a bad thank you from the country they tried to destroy. Good riddance. Their time was up.

Sometimes momentum is so great that it is truly impossible to know where it will lead.

The wave of the NDP in Quebec was indeed remarkable. Quebecers do like to vote en masse.

A call for change

But yes, it was a call for change.

Yet to think this was a call to a new federal engagement may be premature indeed.

The sudden change in the political landscape does not mean that a majority of Quebecers all of a sudden see themselves as willing participants in the Canadian experience. Not by a long shot. They remain Quebecers first and Canadians sometimes second.

But it does mean that a good majority is sick and tired of the decades-old debate, at least for now.

The Jack movement was a convenient place to put their votes. He connected with voters for a variety of reasons. Quebecers were seduced. He won both admiration and sympathy.

Quebec left out of government

But in some ways Quebec is once again outside looking in.

The road to the Tory majority did not go through Quebec.

The Conservatives will have to redouble their efforts to try to bring Quebec inside the tent.

With only a handful of seats, there must be strong ministers appointed to speak for Quebec and bringing Maxime Bernier back would be a good start.

Parliament will be certainly a more interesting place. Heck four McGill students are now MPs, making $157,000 a year. Maybe they will bring fresh perspective to the table and student loans should no longer be a worry.

First order of business for some will be French lessons.

The Ottawa pub manager who campaigned in Las Vegas was elected, as was a former candidate for the communist party.

Controlling this caucus will be like herding cats.

A perfect storm?

For far too long Quebec has been stagnant, unable and unwilling to participate in the debate surrounding the governance of Canada.

There are risks along the way. The separatist tiger is only sleeping. Polls show it is still an option preferred by four in 10 Quebecers

A government with only six MPs in Quebec, an unproven opposition and a possible PQ government in Quebec City could make for a perfect storm.

But for now one can only hope that a new dialogue can begin.