Being Gilles Duceppe

I want to spend a day in Gilles Duceppe’s brain. What sort of non-Euclidean plane of existence does it operate in?

Earlier today: Hi, I’m Gilles Duceppe. I really think that the Canadian constitution should be changed to recognize the Quebecois as a nation. Because the Quebecois are Canadians, we just want it recognized that we form a distinct nation within the federation.

A bit later: Hi, I’m Gilles Duceppe. I’m not prepared to sign th constitution of Canada, even if Harper grants my demand for the constitution to be changed to recognize the Quebecois as a nation. Why? Because, well:

“There are a lot of other things that have to be part of changes to the Constitution; it isn’t limited to that,” Duceppe said while campaigning in Montreal on Friday. “At the end of the line, I think we can never obtain what we want within Canada. That’s why we need sovereignty.”

But again, I repeat, if there were a pan-Canadian referendum on enshrining Quebec recognition in the Constitution, I would campaign in favour of it. Because, you know, the Quebecois are Canadians.