Yves-françois Blanchet
There is clear left-leaning support in most of Quebec, given that the Liberals are currently holding 40 of Quebec’s 78 seats, and gunning for another 10.
“You’ll find that there is actually lots of room for discussion between the Liberals and the Bloc, and actually most other parties on issues like national pharmacare, a federal minimum wage and workplace safety,” said Reid.
“The Bloc … are the party to watch as a spoiler for the Liberals. A potentially reinvigorated Bloc in a minority Parliament makes the governing coalition calculus more complicated,” Nanos Research Chairman Nik Nanos said in a recent Reuters interview.
Where Trudeau might perhaps come to a head with the Bloc is on Bill 21. The former prime minister has used varied language with regards to the bill, first saying that he, like Scheer and Singh would not intervene, but then shifting his position slightly saying that a federal government “might” have to intervene on it.
One of the most contentious issues during the election campaign so far has been Quebec’s Bill 21, a provincial decree that bans public servants in Quebec from donning religious headgear or symbols. On that front, a Conservative minority government under Scheer has already made it clear that the federal government will not intervene on the ban, which for the separatist Bloc Québécois could be a key sticking point.
“The Conservatives and the Bloc are aligned on Bill 21. We saw that in the English debate. So that’s a given,” said Powers. “Mr. Scheer could bring forward a budget that talks about a separate uniform tax code for Quebec. The Bloc will not oppose that, so that’s where a deal could be made,” he added.
The Quebec provincial government has asked federal leaders for a commitment to a single income tax return for Quebec, which is a demand that the Bloc is aligned with. “Scheer has already said that his party is the only party that’s prepared to work with Quebec on that,” said Curran. “And so the Conservatives are pitching themselves as the party that is going to respect provinces which is the Bloc’s ultimate objective.”
Where both parties might find themselves at loggerheads with each other is on Scheer’s proposed national energy corridor that would cross through Quebec. It has perhaps been one of the leading reasons why Conservative support is waning in the province, in favour of the Bloc.