Tom Mulcair: PSPP pulls out the fear card

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Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon was particularly glum as he delivered his keynote address at the end of the party's congress on Sunday. He decided to take the darkest route to convince Quebecers that they should be afraid of Ottawa's nefarious plans for Quebec.

Following the independence movement, it will surprise no one to hear one of its former leaders invoke the separatist trinity of Supremacy, Despair and Loss. It was shocking to hear such deeply distressing comments from the usually positive and upbeat St. Pierre Plamondon.

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One of PSPP's hallmarks has always been his vivacity and optimism. He is the first PQ leader from a new generation. The Pariseaus, Maroises, and Lieses of the past have used themes of fear as stock in trade. The PSPP rejected Quebec's need for independence using positive arguments. Until last weekend.

I had a front row seat for one of his last in-depth interviews before the PQ convention on the Le Bilan show on the LCN panel last Friday. My distinguished colleague Emmanuel Latravers had a long Q&A with the PSPP, at the end of which he let fly, “I don't want a referendum.” I almost choked.

The PSPP has won the leadership contest, promising not to compromise its aspirations for sovereignty. He promised a referendum on independence if elected. No ifs, ands or buts. It has also become a defining aspect of the PSPP; he sticks to his guns. Indeed, he showed extraordinary bravery when he refused to take the oath of allegiance to King Charles.

He went on to tell Latravers that he really wanted to be a country and that the referendum was just a matter of mechanics (“histoire de mécanique”). If he had hoped to make a slight push on the referendum issue, it was snuffed out. On Sunday, he returned to the message with stark warnings about what awaits Quebeckers if they don't secede from Canada.

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Subsequent polls in Léger showed around 35 percent support for independence. This is consistent with an internal Quebec government survey that I became familiar with early in my career. To put it bluntly, more than a third of Quebeckers who were willing to secede from Canada never were.

In the 1980 and 1995 referendums, the questions referred to treaties and negotiations. Since then, several other major referendums have been held around the world, and there is now a consensus among experts that they constitute the real question. None of them meet the challenge.

Sovereigns cite a close vote in 1995 and 40 percent in 1980 as evidence of support. In 1980, many expressed a deep love for Quebec and knew that one more vote would be necessary before independence. The deep depression that followed the failure of the Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional accords in 1995 left many wanting to send a strong message.

Sovereignty tomorrow and a complete break from Canada? Not a possibility.

Why is PSPP now trying to convince a herd of caribou to jump into the river that flows with it?

His opposition to Canadian multiculturalism, both in that interview and in a congressional speech, appears to have influenced a recent visit by French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. His endorsement of Quebec's discriminatory secularism law, Bill 21, appears to have resonated strongly with the PSPP. He was swinging for the fences.

The story of Quebec is one of strength, perseverance and, yes, survival. More than 400 years! Our collective memory includes two referendums that divided us and damaged our economy. The last thing our society needs is another.

Tom Mulcair, former leader of the federal NDP, served as environment minister in Jean Charest's Quebec Liberal government.

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