Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Is Jack Layton's NDP the New Bloc?

 Maybe!  Along with Jack Layton's NDP's big gains a month ago in the general election, mostly from Quebec, comes more attention and scrutiny as it should be. To the media's credit they're starting to pay attention.

 Tasha Kheiriddin from the National Post - Jack Layton is between a Bloc and a hard place.
Jack Layton may be nimble, but even he is not proving quick enough to escape the nationalist tarpit which has trapped many a federal politician before him.
Don Macpherson, from The Montreal Gazette- Layton is raising unrealistic expectations among Quebecers  and is still making promises.
Because the leader of the New Democratic Party continues to make promises to French-speaking Quebecers.
And in the process, he is raising unrealistic expectations among them that a national party that aspires to govern can act as a New Bloc Québécois, placing their interests ahead of those of other Canadians.

Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton and his party are playing with fire on the Quebec sovereignty issue.
They’ve been playing that dangerous game for a while, too. The irony, of course, is that the controversy that’s now blown up in their faces was inevitable as soon as they achieved a longtime party goal — political success in la belle province.
Even the Globe and Mails Lawrence Martin is weighing in.-Are the NDP more Bloc than the Bloc?
With the demolition of the Bloc Québécois, election day was supposed to be a nice day for federalism.
But that prognosis is already in doubt. After years on the margins of the national discussion, Quebec nationalism is moving to the forefront.
Its new primacy of place is assured by an Official Opposition, the New Democratic Party, that is hostage to many of the interests of Quebec autonomists. With 59 seats, most from former Bloquiste territory, the New Democrats have little choice but to sing their song, minus the ultimate goal of separation.
It seems as if Jack has bitten off a little more than he can chew. Seeing that most of the MSM are starting to ask questions. This issue is not going go away and will not be an easy four years for Jack especially with his the kids in his caucus.