Editorial cartoon by Anthony JenkinsThe Globe and Mail
Gilles Duceppe's took his road trip to Toronto today, explaining his case for Quebec sovereignty in an interview with CBC host George Stroumboulopoulos.
"I want my own country not against Canada but for Quebec," he told The Hour, in a segment that airs tonight. "Instead of fighting each other why don't we try another way of doing things? We are 20 years after the failure of Meech. We have a proposal and I am still looking for an offer from the rest of Canada but I haven't seen any."
And it's doubtful he will as the appetite in Quebec for sovereignty appears to be waning. Even former premier Lucien Bouchard, who also held Mr. Duceppe's post as Bloc leader, doesn't believe that the will is there in the province to actually separate.
Mr. Duceppe remains hopeful, nonetheless: "But our option won't change geography obviously, so we will still have to co-operate economically, and [political scientist Tom]Flanagan, who is not a sovereignist we all agree on that, said independently of what happened politically in Quebec, we'll maintain business with Quebec. Because business is business."
Yesterday, Mr. Duceppe stirred up some controversy in Newfoundland, suggesting it too could separate from Canada. "Newfoundland was once a nation, even [had]a national anthem," the Bloc Leader said. "But it's your decision. I don't want to talk about what you have to decide."
He will also meet in a few days with Conservative strategist and academic Tom Flanagan. Mr. Flanagan, who at one time served as Stephen Harper's chief of staff, doesn't yet know exactly what Mr. Duceppe wants to discuss.
The University of Calgary professor would be happy to see him, however, adding that he'd love to talk about his new book - Beyond the Indian Act: Restoring Aboriginal Property Rights - if Mr. Duceppe is interested.
"I don't think letting First Nations own their own lands has any implications one way or the other for Quebec's sovereignty project, but he may have concerns," Mr. Flanagan told The Globe this week. "For all I know, he may be interested in some issues that would resonate out here."
The NDP, meanwhile, is taking issue with Mr. Duceppe's tour - and his meeting with Mr. Flanagan. "While the Bloc Quebecois markets itself as a progressive party, Mr. Duceppe will be meeting today with members of the C.D. Howe Institute, a prominent right-wing think-tank and next week with that paragon of progressive Canada: former Harper adviser Tom Flanagan," the NDP said in a statement.