Jean-Francois Lisée said this week that Quebec is having a Jefferson moment.
I agree. It seems like we are having a lot of Jefferson--George Jefferson--moments in Quebec these days.
Quebec is worthy of its own sitcom, but you would have a hard time making this stuff up.
Now Lisée was referring to Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States.
You see the PQ government got its knickers in a knot over an opinion piece that appeared in the New York Times comparing the PQ to the Tea Party: rural, white, and with an anti-immigrant bias.
Minister Lisée and Bernard Drainville , the godfather of the Charter of Values, decided to fire back with their own article in the New York Times.
After all if they can make it there, they can make it anywhere.
They proudly pointed out that Quebec is following the path of Thomas Jefferson with its Charter.
The minsters say the Charter will enshrine into law Jefferson's 'wall of separation between church and state.'
These guys should read their history.
Jefferson would be appalled at the PQ charter. He advocated for freedom of religion for all, not exclusion of the minority.
I guess to some history is what you make it, or wish it to be, in the name of politics.
Philippe-Flop Couillard
Over at the Liberals there seems to be total confusion over what to do about this.
They seem to be in a bit of a panic.
Dr. Phil said the charter would pass over his dead body.
Now he is talking compromise and he looks the picture of health.
The Liberals are falling into really dumb arguments over hypothetical, possible scenarios over obscure articles of clothing, what-ifs and maybes.
They are walking on a political landmine without a map and with a leader who is sending off some rather unsettling signals.
A new beginning
Finally for something a little different this week I beg your indulgence.
A new girl came into my life.
I would like you to meet Marianne, my granddaughter. She is perfect.
I hope Marianne will have a future in Quebec.
Amid the rubble of corruption, the fury of language wars, and the hostility of identity politics, there is much good here.
Although as we all know there are days which truly test our patience I like to think that common sense will somehow prevail.
That is why we should all be passionate about fair play, about respecting difference, about everyone getting the same chances , about equality between men and women.
Because that's the world I want for Marianne.
It is also a world that is moving so fast, a world with far too much noise not enough peace.
I hope she can somehow find a path of quiet and bliss and that she can find it right here
She deserves it. We all deserve it.
