2014 Quebec Election Displays The True State Of Canadian Politics

The Quebec liberal party won a decisive election victory, winning in 70 of the province’s ridings. With the former ruling Parti Quebecois winning only 30.

After the victory was announced new premier Philippe Couillard stated ““We are all Quebecers. We should all focus on what brings us together. What unites us makes us stronger.”

Couillard’s statement and the election results displays the true nature of the Canadian electoral system.

Lets take a look at some recent history.

Jean Charest of the Quebec Liberal party had been premier for nearly a decade, when the Quebec student protests began in 2012. The protests where a result of a Liberal spear headed plan to raise school tuition from $$2,168 to $3,793 between 2012 and 2018.

As the protests grew in size, the Liberal government passed bill 78. The law restricts protest or picketing on or near university grounds. The law further requires that organizers of a protest, consisting of 50 or more people in a public venue anywhere in Quebec, submit their proposed venue and/or route to the relevant police for approval.

Many saw this law as a breach of the Canadian Charter Of Rights And Freedoms.

An election was called in the summer of 2012 and the Parti Québécois where elected to a minority government, with Pauline Marois becoming the first woman to be Premier of Quebec.

In 2013 “Quebec’s corruption inquiry has heard that a former Liberal cabinet minister actively lobbied on behalf of a firm that was being run by organized crime.

Witnesses testified Thursday that Tony Tomassi, a former Liberal family minister who is currently awaiting trial on fraud charges, was actively pushing for contracts for Carboneutre”
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The Parti Québécois government introduced their charter of values, which many felt would lead to employment discrimination. Philippe Couillard and the Liberal party attacked this proposed law. Couillard even stated “Values charter will become law ‘over my dead body”.
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There is the brief history of what has been happening in the Quebec government in recent years, and after reviewing it one must ask. Did the people of Quebec win anything in this election? Or are they just getting the usual “lesser of two evils”?

Both parties have displayed their total disconnect with the people in the province, both have also displayed an inability to properly govern (in some cases outright corruption has been exposed) and this large Liberal victory is being celebrated?

This is a good example of how the Canadian political system is operating. Political parties and politicians are able to basically do as they please. They are elected out of office and within the span of a few short years, the people are willing to re-elect them as a lesser of 2 evils. We see this in every province and in every federal election.

Until people start voting for independent candidates or simply walk away from the sham of an electoral system. This will only continue and more than likely become worse and worse.