Holidays are not the time for partisan politicking

National holidays are supposed to be occasions to come together and celebrate our common history, values and society — free of partisan allegiances that often underscore what divides us.

Political leaders therefore ought to use “national” holidays like the Fête nationale in Quebec and Canada Day across the country to honour the special place we call home, and to promote a sense of social inclusion. Taking a break from the usual partisan bickering has become an unwritten rule.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, however, clearly broke with tradition as he used SaintJean-Baptiste Day festivities to attack his op- ponents. During a speech with a pre-electoral flavour to an audience in Saint-Lazare-de-Bellechasse — in one of the Conservatives’ five Quebec ridings — the prime minister, among other things, lambasted the New Democratic Party for allegedly “diverting” public funds for partisan purposes and invited people to “replace” the offenders with Quebec Conservatives in the next federal election.

In engaging in such partisanship, the prime minister missed a good opportunity to deliver a more inclusive message and help shape a vision for the future in this province where political attitudes are becoming more fluid. By using the holiday for political gain, however, the prime minister showed a tin political ear. Despite the first Conservative government under Harper in 2006 having pushed through a resolution in Parliament recognizing “les Québécois” as a nation, Harper has failed to connect with Quebecers in a meaningful way. His party has lost much of the support it had in 2006, and Harper failed Tuesday to generate any new momentum.

By contrast, other political leaders used Saint-Jean activities to send an open and inclusive message — most notably Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard. Speaking at the Musée des Beaux Arts du Québec, in Quebec City, Couillard highlighted the common identity all Quebecers share, no matter when they or their ancestors arrived here, or from where. And he spoke eloquently of the challenges in developing and promoting a modern identity in this multicultural era. This inclusive message was the right one for such a symbolically rich holiday.

Meanwhile, federal NDP Leader Tom Mul- cair talked of “celebrating what we have in common” while Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau strolled along Quebec City’s Grande Allée, steps from the Plains of Abraham, shaking hands and taking selfies with the crowd. This was not a time for partisan attacks, and Mulcair and Trudeau knew that.

Mario Beaulieu, the arch-nationalist who recently took the helm of the sinking Bloc Québécois, predictably failed to offer a unifying message. But Harper should know better. He was clearly in campaign mode on SaintJean-Baptiste Day, and he shouldn’t have been. As such, his evident desire to make inroads in Quebec seems destined to backfire. He missed a good chance June 24 to promote goodwill, and rally Quebecers around a positive vision. Quebecers — and all Canadians — had a right to expect better from him.