20 October 2005

Lucid Lucien


While the story got some coverage, Lucien Bouchard's news conference the other day didn't get quite enough.

So here is a link to the English version of the manifesto he released on behalf of a group of Quebec intellectuals on the challenges faced by Quebec in the coming decades and some possible solutions.

The French name of the document, pour un Quebec lucide, seems much more compelling than the English version: For a clear-eyed vision of Quebec.

I'd agree with Paul Wells on the most striking statement in the document, albeit for different reasons. Irrespective of Wells' point, I just thought the comment equally applicable to Newfoundland and Labrador in the past 18 months; just change the provincial origin of the "consensus".

I'll give you the Wellsian translation of the original French:

"The first condition of liberty is the ability to question the status quo without being hauled before the inquisition tribunal of the Quebec consensus."

On that note, stand by for some further comment on this manifesto in the days ahead.