The Yin and Yang of the CAQ win
I’ve always been a big believer in opposites. It’s not just the fact that there is a north and south pole, black and white, short and tall, that kind of thing. It goes beyond that. The ancient Chinese believed in yin and yang and Isaac Newton summed it up in his third law when he said for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Well the same thing holds true in politics.
What we have now in Quebec is an entirely new government being formed by a party that has never held power before and everyone is wondering what to expect. Right off the bat, don’t believe for a moment that the CAQ and their leader, François Legault, will necessarily pay any attention to the five or six hundred promises they made during the campaign. As we should know from experience that’s just not going to happen. But even if Legault tries to put most of the major items into law it’s going to be interesting and this is where the opposites come into play.
Good thing about the CAQ win: With the “fixed date” law in force, at least there won’t be another election to worry about until 2022. On top of that, the CAQ win can’t be blamed on “money and the ethnics” this time around.
Bad thing about the CAQ win: There won’t be another election until 2022. Quebecers will have this lot for four more years barring some sort of constitutional fiasco. On top of that, if Legault passes his new law reducing the number of refugees we take in and giving them their language and “values” exams, there will be fewer to blame for ruining elections, referendums and property values. Good thing about the CAQ win: There will be all kinds of new faces and new talent on display as Legault chooses a cabinet. Despite being a little short on political experience the caucus has an abundance of successful business people, former civil servants, lawyers, teachers and the like. It will also create a whole slew of opportunities for political cartoonists.
Bad thing about the CAQ win: Practically nobody in the CAQ has any experience running a government and if the eventual members of the new cabinet are as vague on provincial powers and who does what and how and to whom as the new Premier seems to be on immigration and the constitution, we could be in for a long four years.
Good thing about the CAQ win: Apparently more young people voted than ever before erasing the built-in boomer advantage and ensuring that we are finally moving into the political 21st century.
Bad thing about the CAQ win: They all voted for the Québec Solidaire and Sainte Manon.
Good thing about the CAQ win: The Premier elect has already promised to forge ahead and fix the health-care system. One priority is reducing the waiting time for people needing to consult a family doctor or super nurse to thirty-six hours. That’s down from the present six years it normally takes. He also is adamant that the government will renegotiate a recently signed deal with medical specialists and claw back some of the money to use elsewhere.
Bad thing about the CAQ win: The specialists aren’t going to give back any of the money since they were paid a lot less than doctors in Ontario in the first place and besides, the price of European river cruises have gone way up. If push comes to shove they’ll take their stethoscopes and move.
Good thing about the CAQ win: The CAQ win is just in time for it to usher in the new federal law legalizing the sale and use of marijuana and ensure that the government gets its share of the multimillion dollars in taxes that are bound to come out of it.
Bad thing about the CAQ win: Legault promised to up the legal age for the purchase of pot to 21 from the federally suggested 18. This means that although 18-year-olds can vote, drive, die for their country, marry and drink, they won’t be puffing for another three years. It will give support to private enterprise, however, ensuring that the black market in marijuana will continue to flourish.
So it all comes down to whether you are a glass half empty or a glass half full sort. Personally, I don’t care which it is as long as there’s something to drink.