Why does the bloc quebecois exist

When it came time for Couillard to seek re-election, his opponents accused him of cravenly bowing to Ottawa, of being too co-operative with the federal government only to come home empty-handed. If Trudeau loses his majority, or worse, it will in no small part be due to the nationalist energy the Bloc drew from Legault. There is a theory in Freudian psychology known as the return of the repressed, which in its less sexual variant holds that those things you don't confront will eventually come back to haunt you.

So long as Quebec's distinct character remains unaddressed in the Constitution, it is likely the Bloc will continue to haunt the other federal parties for some time to come. Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments.

Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Join the conversation Create account. Already have an account? Social Sharing. Blanchet has spent most of his time talking about Quebec nationalism, not sovereignty.

I am also sorry that I did not see it expel from its ranks the four aspiring MPs who made Islamophobic comments on social networks. There is nothing to be pleased about when bans are imposed on minorities. We threw out 18, immigration files , we rejected full reimbursement of permits for thousands of taxi drivers, many from immigrant backgrounds , we prohibit people from the wearing of religious symbols from working in certain positions in the public service.

Is the way Canada is nationally constructed compatible with a respectful relationship with its deep diversity? This is the idea of cultural convergence initially promoted by Fernand Dumont. My biggest disappointment, however, is this. Criticisms of this identity withdrawal are too often accompanied by a condemnation of any nationalism whatsoever. This attitude, which is presented as uncompromising, is nevertheless the best way to provoke other abuses. Along with the New Democratic Party , it solidified its position of power in a minority government, potentially gaining the most influence it has ever enjoyed in federal policy.

Duceppe maintained that the Bloc would not participate in a coalition government. Similarly, the Bloc's election campaign centered on providing an alternative to possible federalist corruption, see Federal Government bolstered further by the findings of the Gomery Inquiry. With its slogan, Heureusement, ici, c'est le Bloc "Thankfully, the Bloc is here" the Bloc hoped to obtain over 50 per cent of Quebec votes and more than 60 seats in the House of Commons.

Ultimately, Bloc candidates obtained 6 seats previously belonging to the Liberals, but the resurgence in the Conservative Party 's popularity in Quebec resulted in a loss of a total of 3 seats from , leaving the Bloc with 51 seats and 42 per cent of Quebec support.

As in , Canadians elected a minority government. Similarly, Duceppe insisted that he would not form a coalition government with any other federal party. The Bloc maintained their political mandate leading up to the election, pressuring then Prime Minister Stephen Harper to address the fiscal imbalance between the provinces, particularly in the case of Quebec. Duceppe petitioned Harper to recognize Quebec as a nation in the Canadian constitution. A motion recognizing Quebec as a distinct nation within a united Canada had already been passed by the House of Commons in The Bloc's platform leading into the election centered on Quebec's ability to manage its own culture and economic stability, as well as its own approach to the penal system and the system's young offenders see Juvenile Justice System ; Youth Criminal Justice Act.

On 14 October , the Bloc secured 51 seats in what Duceppe called a victory "toward real progress" — a main factor in denying a Conservative majority government. Mere weeks following the general election, Harper's Conservative government launched a series of controversial economic proposals, spurring the three opposition parties — the Bloc, the Liberal Party and the NDP — to begin talks regarding a coalition to defeat the Conservatives in a vote of non-confidence.

On 1 December, the three-party leaders committed, in an historic accord, to introduce a non-confidence motion as early as the following week. The Bloc only succeeded in electing four candidates and earning 24 per cent of the vote. The party thus lost its official party status in the House of Commons. Party leader Gilles Duceppe was defeated in his riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie and resigned from a year career in the party that evening.

After August , however, Beaulieu's leadership was contested, with two Bloc MPs leaving the party to sit as independents. During elections held on 19 October , the Bloc improved its representation in the House of Commons by electing 10 members. Nevertheless, this result remained insufficient for the party to be officially recognized by Parliament the minimum threshold being 12 MPs.

Defeated in his constituency and disappointed, Gilles Duceppe stepped down as leader of the party.