An excellent piece From the Mind of a Netjin on the new right in Quebec and it's links to Von Mises liberal-tarianism.
Of course we have seen this movie before. The Harpocrites, including the Harper himself and Ambrose, Solberg, Kenney, Anders, etc. et. al, ad nauseum, claim to be libertarians.
And how quickly they abandon that pretext once in power. As the new right in Quebec will abandon their libertarian pretext, to set about slashing social programs paid for by the working class, and becoming the new business state.
Quebec's "Clear-Eyeds" Hit The Big Screen
Centred around Mario Dumont, Lucien Bouchard, the Action Democratique du Quebec, the Manifesto for a Clear-eyed Vision of Quebec and Quebec City shock radio CHOI FM and its slogan "Liberty, I shout your name", Quebec's young and dynamic right is attempting to kick start a new Quiet Revolution, but this time they want a libertarian one. This still minority but rapidly growing movement doesn't rally around independence from Canada, they rally around independence from the state. More precisely, the social democratic state as it exists in Quebec, the Quebec model as it is termed.
The reason I'm mentioning this is because the left in Canada often considers Quebec the progressive bastion, but this could change. In the future, we might not hear "Vive le Quebec libre !" so much, but more "Vive le Quebec libertaire !"
I too have blogged on this move to the right by ADM and Bouchard et. al, declaring the Quebec working class lazy and unproductive, which is just another way of saying we are going to tighten our belts around your necks.
As for the left considering Quebec the bastion of social democracy, and that it is secure, this is a valid criticism, though misguided. If the Left in Quebec views the right as unimportant it is because of their relative political positions. Dumont's Reform Party in Quebec Drag appeals to certain classes of people, whose power base in Quebec while 'respectable' is overwhelmend by the left state they live in. And like the right in Quebec their origins were in the Social Credit Party.
However the Left's preoccupation with pushing the PQ, BQ and nationalists to the left, does mean they ignore the new right at their peril.
For instances the longest most continous and successful assault on unionization, the right to work (sic) movement is strongest in Quebec and linked to that provinces faux libertarian movement.
And then there is the so called 'libertarian' radio host who is now an independent Quebec MP in the house of commons; André Arthur, and true to form he is ignoring the state while collecting his Parliamentary salary. Arthur told reporters Monday night that he has no intention of muting his style in Ottawa. Ha, ha, oh please stop it.
His silence in the house since his election last year has been deafening. But as I said once these faux libertarians get into power they drop all pretences and become the same old right wing mouthpieces for their special interests.
Mr. Arthur is a federalist and leans to the right in his views. Since taking the job, he has supported the government's budget, its approach to the Kyoto Accord and its decision to renew Canada's commitment to the war in Afghanistan for two more years. "I must say that I'm quite impressed with the kind of government they've given Canada for the last months," he told the Hill Times. "Here's a guy, Harper, who does what he says and says what he does. That's a long time in Canada since we've seen that. It's marvellously refreshing. It gives confidence to voters."
You would be forgiven forgetting that there are actually two independent MP's in the house, since it appears there is only one real outspoken libertarian MP and that is Garth Turner.
See:
Duh Oh
Quebec BQ vs Conservatives
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