The Bloc Quebecois have a large following in Quebec, Canada. That is a fact. However, we are also the only nation in the world to not only grant a separatist party full rights in Parliament, but to actually include them in national televised debates! I think that is ludicrous.
First, let me say that I understand why the Bloc get full rights in Parliament. Their MPs are elected just like any other MPs, so I understand why they are allowed to function like any other party.
My problem is with including the Bloc Quebecois in national federal debates. Let's think about this. The rules for federal TV debates is that a party must pass the funding threshold, run candidates in every riding in Canada, and have an elected MP. Umm... since when do the Bloc run candidates in every riding in Canada? Last I checked, they only ran in Quebec. They are only concerned with Quebec, and their sole wish is for Quebec to separate from Canada. Why should they be allowed in the debates? Why should they be given a platform to speak to the whole nation? If they don't care about us, why should we care about them?
I live in Saskatchewan, a consistently "have-not" province despite our abundance of natural resources. We have largely been ignored by the federal government in favour of Quebec - the lovely process called western alienation. I believe Sir Pierre Trudeau even gave Saskatchewan farmers the finger once! Perhaps this is where my animosity towards Quebec favouritism comes from. Irregardless, the Bloc Quebecois are a regional party that only represent the interests of one region. The Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, and Greens all represent the interests of Canada as a whole. In national debates, they discuss issues that affect Canada as a whole. Meanwhile, Gilles Duceppe of the Bloc Quebecois spends his entire turn speaking about what is right for Quebec, what is in the interests of Quebec. Why should every region in Canada have to listen to him spew his separatist crap just to keep Quebec happy?
They can hear the separatists speak in debates in the province. The rest of Canada should not have to be subjected to it.
I've already had this argument once today, and I was told it was against the principles of democracy to exclude the Bloc because of where they are from, and even called a racist. It's not about the fact that they are French! It's about the fact that they only represent one province, and therefore should only speak to that province. Every other party represents all of Canada by running their candidates in every riding in Canada.
But hey, this is Canada. Let the separatists roam free!
