Quebec Election Notebook: Poutine, passports and a pit stop in Ontario

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The Parti Québécois isn’t the one get together promoting “passports” to drum up curiosity and lift funds.

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In contrast to the PQ, which is hawking “Quebec passports” that mimic the looks of an official doc, the Conservative Celebration of Quebec determined to rename its $15 membership card, dubbing it a “freedom passport.”

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The get together led by Éric Duhaime is rallying Quebecers offended about COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. In a tweet, the Conservatives stated the passport is for individuals who need to “regain their freedom.”

By the way in which, the PQ isn’t the primary outfit to promote a Quebec passport.

In 1992, the Montreal Gazette printed this story a couple of Société St-Jean-Baptiste passport:

1000’s of Quebecers are already carrying Quebec passports of their pockets, produced by the Société St-Jean-Baptiste and “legitimate solely for individuals who need to make Quebec their nation.“

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The blue passport-size booklet, which doubles as a calendar and handle e-book, is a gimmick to advertise the society’s nationalist objectives, president Jean Dorion stated.

On the primary web page is a declaration, which reads partially: “This short-term passport permits the holder to present himself a rustic. It authorizes the holder to hold this hope and the flexibility to make others share it.

“This passport is legitimate solely for individuals who need Quebec to grow to be their nation. It invitations them to undertake ‘probably the most stunning voyage’ between right this moment and the day Quebec turns into a rustic.“

There are additionally quotations from a 1980 speech by René Lévesque and a calendar of serious occasions in Quebec historical past.

Dorion stated the passports will proceed to be distributed at society features, and he isn’t nervous about offending federalists.

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“Some individuals are offended by our very existence,” he stated.

Others have additionally tapped into the passport idea:

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No, the PQ marketing campaign bus didn’t take a flawed flip.

The separatist get together went to Ontario Thursday — Ottawa, to be particular — to press house its message that François Legault’s Coalition Avenir Québec has failed in its dealings with the federal authorities.

“Whereas François Legault promised huge beneficial properties (from Ottawa), he was not capable of have even one demand accepted,” PQ Chief Paul St-Pierre Plamondon stated.

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“We will’t say we’re nervous in regards to the survival of the Quebec nation if it doesn’t get hold of sure powers whereas persevering with to hurry into the wall at full velocity. Nonetheless, that’s precisely what François Legault does.”

Amongst different issues, the PQ reiterated its demand for elevated federal well being funding, the appliance of Invoice 101 to federally regulated companies and a change to the tax system so Quebecers would solely fill out one income-tax type — Quebec’s.

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No Quebec election marketing campaign is full with out poutine stops at casse-croûtes.

On Thursday, Legault dug into one on the Ti-Oui Snack Bar in St-Raymond, northwest of Quebec Metropolis.

In the meantime, within the Gaspésie, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, spokesperson for Québec solidaire, tweeted a photograph of himself at a fast-food joint about to get pleasure from his personal poutine on a terrasse.

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