King Stephen the Harpocrite made a historic second visit to Quebec yesterdfay. Where again nothing significant was done, it was all photo op and puff pastery.But the optics well that's what counts. Did they discuss the health care accord? Non. Post Secondary Education funding? Non. Fiscal Imbalance. Non. It was all about the future. Charest's and Harpers.
They are after all kin, Charest led the Federal PC party before becoming a provincial Liberal. Harper led the Alliance before becoming a born again Conservative.
Harper and Charest need each other. Harper's best hope of growing a minority into a majority lies in Quebec and it can only become reality with the premier's help. Charest's chances of morphing a lacklustre first term into a second turn on winnowing out of Ottawa the latitude and money, in cash or tax points, to pursue Quebec interests in its own ways.
But with discussions on Federal balance of payments being suggested, this draws the Bloc on side as could be seen by BQ MP Richard Marceau's response on Mike Duffy yesterday. Daycare he said is a provincial issue.
Uh oh. Here it comes. The BQ will back the Tories. Daycare should be publicly funded the Bloc will argue, and would be if we didn't have an imbalance of payments from the Feds.
Harper will promise Quebec, not the ROC, to fix their imbalance and the BQ will be happy to vote with the Conservatives.
It's not like they haven't before.CBC News: Conservative, BQ MPs block meat packer fines
Charest's popularity has gone from rock bottom and is increasing after the federal election. A few scores of big bucks from the Feds and all will be forgiven. Its the perfect neo-con job.
Meanwhile the Quebec model of private public healthcare will become the model for the Conservatives revision of healthcare. Still feasible under the CHA, meets the Supreme court challenge and makes Ralph Kleins Third Way the boogie man.
And all will be well in the Harpocrites universe.
NDP Leader Jack Layton said Charest and Harper "seem to be working hand in glove to support the privatization of our health care," noting the topic didn't even come up. "There's some things going in this relationship between Mr. Charest and Mr. Harper that should concern Canadians," Layton said.
Yep, you tell em Jack.
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