General

Duceppe describes Bloc as “resistance”

WWII parallel draws protests from federal Tories

Speaking to a large crowd of Bloc Québécois supporters in Quebec City on Saturday, Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe described the party’s faithfuls as “résistants” against Canada’s drive to turn Quebec into a province like any other. The evocation of the resistance terminology associated with opposition to the Nazis in wartime Europe drew fire from the Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon. Duceppe stuck with the analogy, though. “Quebec sovereignty is not possible, just as the Liberation was not possible, without the work of resisters,” he explained. As his party prepares to mark 20 years as the separatist faction in the federal House, however, exactly what it’s resisting isn’t always obvious. Not Canadian multiculturalism, apparently: at the same event where Duceppe spoke, former Bloc MP Suzanne Tremblay said that being exposed in Ottawa to Canada’s ethnic diversity prompted the Bloc to open up to Quebecers of varied origins more quickly than the Parti Québécois.

Montreal Gazette

CBC News

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: