Well at least he embarassed the Bloc

What did Stephen Harper accomplish this week with his motion recognizing Quebec as a nation?

Well he didn't define nation. He didn't make a coherent statement on Canadian nationalism. He didn't make many inroads in Quebec except for getting some press./

He did however do two things, save Michael Ignatieff's bacon, and embarass the Bloc.

Interestingly enough you'll have something close unanimity on the conservative motion to recognize that Quebeckers form a nation. The Bloc is supporting the conservative motion, because they got embarrassed by the fact that all other parties were supporting it and they would have come out not supporting the recognition of Quebeckers as a nation.

Now first of all Quebeckers do not form a nation in nay accepted meaning of the word. Anybody with access to a dictionary can be sure of that. Nor is there much a difference in meaning between the French and the English meaning of nation.

The political class seems to be using such a false distinction to imply that there is nothing to worry about. In either French or English as Jeffrey Simpson has written is is the United Nations or Nations Unies, exactly the same title in either English or French.

The sorry thing is that Stephen Harper the man who argued that we must stand up to Quebec's demands. The one who took such a hard line before and after the 1995 referendum is in danger of moving towards the liberal position of courting soft nationalists in order to win seats in Quebec. Will his supporters support this?

It simple proves that things look different once you're in government than on the opposition benches. Something I hope the liberals will spend some time learning.

Also a quick question, why does the bloc exist in our federal parliament anyways?