tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post113484194206830024..comments2024-03-28T04:04:03.006-07:00Comments on Paying attention: Harper and Layton fare best in debate round oneUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400574.post-1134844974027369602005-12-17T10:42:00.000-08:002005-12-17T10:42:00.000-08:00Footnote: Gilles Duceppe did fine, although he is ...Footnote: Gilles Duceppe did fine, although he is largely irrelevant in these debates.<BR/><BR/>First off I must congratulate you and the other few folks who watched the first debate. My gosh my 24 year old sports minded hockey nut watched the whole thing, as did his 16 year old brother. This is supposed to be history making stuff but it's watched by some to see someone fall on their faces. A few years ago to actually have all party leaders speaking the other official language would have been ground breaking news.<BR/><BR/>In some of our minds Gilles might be irrelivant in the debates but if he does as well as expected, the other parties can expect the BlOC to rattle the seperatist chains again. Its all about seats folks, it's not really baout separating.<BR/><BR/>No I'm not from Quebec, nor do I speak much Frence.I did my basic training in the military there and all Frence recruits were forbidden to speak anything but English. I don't think any of us fogot that litte jem. Imagine being in the mess hall struggling with a new language and being forbidden to speak their mother tongue. Sort of a residential school policy. In later years instruction was in both offical languages and it worked. Those folks whose first language was Frence are now stationed everywhere in the forces. It wasn't taht way years ago.They know which would be the best deal for them<BR/><BR/>Our family was stationed there in the late 50's. Our two oldest kids went to school and latched onto the language must faster than we did. I was back during the FLQ event, hauling in troops and we couple of times since as tourists.<BR/><BR/>Great area of the country. I wish I was smart enough to master the language. I would hate to see Quebec leave, but if the numbers are right, they must be allowed to do so. No more sponsership deals.<BR/><BR/>So the BLOC leader can't ever be considered irrelivant in any debate. Besides he's a pretty sharp negotiator. He keeps the others on their toes. He should be keeping us all on ours as well. No I don't mean throw money in that direction and hope all will be well. Our politicians are supposed to be sharp law makers and deal makers. Go find a back room, like they did when they shafted Reni Levesque so many years ago and hammer out something that will work. Forget the grandstanding at the same time.<BR/><BR/>The topic at the restaurant last evening with the two of our grandkids ended up talking about the second debate. They brought it up not us. The young are supposed to be all turned off from politics. And they feared Harper far more than the BLOC. Their theory was that if Harper took over we wuld be in some war along with the US. One asks me if we might get conscription. He was under the illusion we had never had that in Canada He was wrong. He will vote. as will his two other siblings. The youngest will have to wait for awhile<BR/>So forget it Harper. YOu scare the socks of these kidsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com