Only In Canada: The Bloc Quebecois

Only in Canada is the first in a series of rants that will highlight something ridiculous that only takes place in Canada. The first rant in this series will talk about the the Bloc Quebecois.

Canada may not be the world's largest democracy (India), nor it is the oldest (Greece). But what it is, is a country that provides opportunity to everyone, including a political party whose sole mission is to cash in their chips and separate from the country that hands them more money than any other province in equalization payments.

A little history. In 1982 the Canada Act provided Canada with legislative independence. That act would open a door that would later give a party called the Bloc Quebecois an opportunity to appear in Federal elections and in effect steal seats in parliament that would otherwise go to a REAL federal party. Thanks to the Bloc, Canada has Stephen Harper running the show in a minority government. A leader so important on the world stage that in the recent G20 summit the rest of the leaders went ahead and took a group picture without him while he was in a "briefing" dropping a deuce.

Now, I have no issue with Quebec with its unique status within Canada and the fact that French is the language of the land. I'm even kind of ok with the fact that some people living there shoot dirty looks at English speaking tourists asking questions not spoken in French. What I do have an issue with, is that the Bloc Quebecois is a federal party. And that this federal party status comes with all the trimmings like, federal funding. Are you kidding me?

As I see it this is how it should work. If I live in Vancouver and I can't vote for your party because you don't have a representative in my riding or my province, then guess what? You aren't a federal party. But the preceding statement is wrong. Why? Because I live in Canada.

The Bloc Quebecois. Only in Canada.