Last night, the Parti québécois only managed a paltry 29 per cent of the popular vote.
For someone like me, Quebec-born and raised, and a staunch Canadian, this is a sweet, sweet day.
I savour this moment to the dregs.
What I see is that Quebeckers are abandoning the separatism/federalism issue as a fault line. Of course, Québec Solidaire and the Greens took votes away from the PQ, but even with their votes, it wouldn't have made a huge difference.
Quebeckers are now saying: enough with this constitution/separatism crap: let's get on with the business of running Québec. Qu'on passe à d'autres choses.
It doesn't mean that separatism is not a force. Only that it's not the priority it once was. Its support is still wide, but the depth of that support is waning. Many still want a separate Québec, but not at the price of ignoring other issues. Not at the price of stalling Quebec to constantly re-do the debate.
I am a very happy (exiled) Quebecker and Canadian.
I feel very proud tonight.
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