Harel can barely speak english and is seeking support among the anglophone population. She needs federalists to win. Julius Grey, an eminent civil rights lawyer and known federalist has accepted to act as her special advisor. Grey is also the town of Hamstead's legal advisor. The City Council, heavily Jewish as is Hampstead's population, has voted a motion to terminate his mandate. Mayor Steinberg has vetoed the motion. There the matter stands.
In Longueuil, a heavily sovereignist city, St-Hilaire has more leeway but she still seeks anglo support. Two candidates from the Greenfield Park mainly anglo precinct have joined her and were promptly branded as traitors.
After the outrage over the attempted exclusion of anglo groups from "la Fête Nationale" in June, does not this reek of the same racism the francos are accused of?
What is sauce for the gander is also sauce for the goose.
"What is sauce for the gander is also sauce for the goose."
RépondreSupprimerExactement.
But beyond racism, there is so much sleaze in politics, that people faced with a ballot are strongly tempted to vote "none of the above." Discredited advisers, questionable conduct by mayors, encore, et encore.
Maybe we should install you as benevolent despot, and let you get on with the work at hand!
I'm afraid I would not fill the bill. Le despote, peut-être, bienveillant (?), c'est moins sûr. I think we need more of a mediator than anything else.
RépondreSupprimerOn a municipal level the stakes are clear and people from whatever political stripes can agree on what they are. Slates of candidates can be produced that share the solutions or who oppose them regardless of being sovereignists or conservatives, liberals or what not, anglos, francos or allophones as recent immmigrants are called, at least in Québec.
As in most cases, the problem is extremism wherever it comes from.
Confidence in elected officials is, I agree, a severe problem. Currently, anywhere I look, people are most distrustful and our dear politicians do not help. It discourages good people from entering the arena and it creates a vicious circle very difficult to break. Dictatorships are even more corrupt and we have grown to big for direct democracy...