French president’s remarks about Quebec sovereignty show “crass arrogance,” says Duceppe
Nicolas Sarkozy is no de Gaulle. But the French president’s disdainful characterization of the Quebec independence movement has sovereigntist leaders burning hotter than federalists following the infamous “Vive le Quebec libre” incident. Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois and Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe have penned a letter to Sarkozy lecturing him about their project and chiding him for insulting their movement with “epithets.” That last part’s a bit of a stretch: Sarko expressed personal distaste for “sectarianism” and “self-confinement.” But the separatist braintrust clearly has been stung by Sarkozy’s departure from France’s traditional policy of “non-interference and non-indifference,” which has often been interpreted as tacit support.