Maxime Bernier

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Tue, 2018-08-14 16:25

NorthReport

Maxime Bernier

Maxime Bernier tweetstorm just cost the Conservatives the 2019 election

Pro-choice voters feel uncomfortable supporting anti-abortion candidates. LGBT voters can sense when a politician is a homophobe.

Similarly, those who are proud of Canada's diversity can detect when a politician or his party are not comfortable with the changing demographics of the country. These voters feel it in their hearts and in their guts. It goes beyond words.

For all of Doug Ford's political negatives, voters did not think he was a racist.

The federal Conservatives, on the other hand, are going to grapple with this perception in 2019.

And for that, they can thank Maxime Bernier's tweetstorm.

https://www.straight.com/news/1116101/maxime-bernier-tweetstorm-just-cos...

Wed, 2018-08-15 21:48

NorthReport

He may not cost the Cons the election but it may cost Bernier his repeat nomination.

Maxime Bernier Doubles Down On Tweets About 'Extreme' Multiculturalism

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2018/08/15/maxime-bernier-tweets_a_23502758/

Wed, 2018-08-15 21:50

NorthReport

Wed, 2018-08-15 22:02

Ken Burch

Perhaps he never accepted his defeat in the CPC leadership race and has chosen this moment to "submarine" the guy who just barely beat him.

Wed, 2018-08-15 23:26

Hurtin Albertan

Might not end up costing them much. They'll still win seats in Alberta at any rate.

Thu, 2018-08-16 05:46

josh

https://ipolitics.ca/2018/08/15/bernier-doesnt-speak-for-conservatives-on-any-issue-scheer/

Fri, 2018-08-17 20:24

gadar

The Con party and most of its supporters have always been xenophobic. The Cons have always railed against multiculturalism, this is nothing new. Bernier voicing his displeasure with multiculturalism will actually soothe the knuckledraggers.

Interesting to me is the fact that inspite of being openly hostile to multiculture, they have still been able to have a healthy base among the minority communities.

Lil Oil King Justin is finished anyway. Its between Singh and Mr. Scheer.

Go Singh Go NDP

Fri, 2018-08-17 21:41

gadar

Dogs heard the whistle and responded. Whoever supports this kind of politics, openly or indirectly, is slime as far as I am concerned.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/jinnah-park-sign-vandalized-winni...

Sat, 2018-08-18 03:04

(Reply to #8) #9

NorthReport

That’s nonsense and we all know it.

josh wrote:

https://ipolitics.ca/2018/08/15/bernier-doesnt-speak-for-conservatives-on-any-issue-scheer/

Sat, 2018-08-18 04:51

#10

Ken Burch

Just occurred to me: It's possible this is a sign Bernier wants to switch to Quebec politics and is positioning himself to become a "caquiste".

Sat, 2018-08-18 11:43

#11

cco

Why would Legault, who finally seems poised to become premier after so many years, want such an obvious rival for his job breathing down his neck?

Thu, 2018-08-23 13:25

#12

josh

Bernier quits party. Looks to form a new one.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bernier-statement-conserative-1.4795894

Thu, 2018-08-23 13:55

#13

Michael Moriarity

It seems unlikely to me that Bernier will have much success with his new right wing party. However, if he does manage to run candidates in most ridings, and pull even a few percent from the Cons, this is great news for the Liberals. Justin may turn out to be as lucky as Chretien was.

Thu, 2018-08-23 13:56

#14

jerrym

Even with a few per cent of support, he could cost the Conservatives some seats by eating into their support and he could reduce the chances of the Conservatives making further inroads in Quebec and possibly even cost them seats there.

Thu, 2018-08-23 14:01

#15

alan smithee alan smithee's picture

Bernier quits the CPC to form a new one. That's the best news I have heard in a long time. This will split the Conservative vote most likely passed 2019. Good riddance,asshole.

Thu, 2018-08-23 14:02

#16

josh

The Republican Party would be the perfect name.

Thu, 2018-08-23 14:16

#17

Caissa

I deological successor to SC and RP.

Thu, 2018-08-23 14:49

#18

robbie_dee

First the CCF comes back to Parliament, now the Ralliement Créditiste!

Thu, 2018-08-23 14:52

(Reply to #18) #19

Ken Burch

(self-delete).

Thu, 2018-08-23 14:52

(Reply to #19) #20

Ken Burch

robbie_dee wrote:

First the CCF comes back to Parliament, now the Ralliement Créditiste!

He IS pretty much this century's Caouette.

Thu, 2018-08-23 15:23

#21

Unionist

I'm suggesting: Republican Independent Party.

Thu, 2018-08-23 15:37

(Reply to #21) #22

6079_Smith_W

Hurtin Albertan wrote:

Might not end up costing them much. They'll still win seats in Alberta at any rate.

Dunno about that. We already have the Canadian National Party. And of course, the regular Conservative Party, which hasn't exactly turned its back on any of this. It will be interesting to see how Bernier's party plays among western racists and xenophobes who see his culture as Exhibit A of Canada's multicultural excess.

Thu, 2018-08-23 15:44

(Reply to #22) #23

cco

6079_Smith_W wrote:

It will be interesting to see how Bernier's party plays among western racists and xenophobes who see his culture as Exhibit A of Canada's multicultural excess.

I agree, but, the GOP used to hate Russia, too. Whiteness can bridge a lot of gaps, it seems -- economic (impoverished whites voting for the corporate billionaires' party), religious (white American Christians voting overwhelmingly for Trump, the least religiously observant president in American history), geopolitical (Russia), and perhaps linguistic, as well.

Thu, 2018-08-23 16:00

#24

6079_Smith_W

Sure, but there's got to be a political motive, and they already have that in the Conservative Party. If they are going to splinter my guess it that it would be rigidly Christian, rigidly Anglophone, and regional.

A good chunk of those who are bent out of shape by immigration and refugees are also still complaining about bilingual packaging, the metric system, and the "cowards" who refused to fight 100 years ago. And again, Scheer isn't all that different; he's just putting a slightly different face on it.

Jumping on board a Quebec-based racist party? Somehow I don't see it happening, but I look forward to seeing the reception Bernier is going to get from the people he assumes are his ideological allies.

Thu, 2018-08-23 16:11

#25

gadar

Ahahaha, looks good on the Cons. They will have to now convince the xenophobes and bigots that they are bigger assholes that Bernier.

Thu, 2018-08-23 16:54

(Reply to #25) #26

alan smithee alan smithee's picture

gadar wrote:

Ahahaha, looks good on the Cons. They will have to now convince the xenophobes and bigots that they are bigger assholes that Bernier.

If I could rate this comment I'd give it a 10/10

This is going to split the Conservative vote. Time they say bye bye to a 2019 comeback. And it couldn't happen to a better bunch of bigots.

Thu, 2018-08-23 17:00

#27

Mr. Magoo

At the same time, this is probably the perfect time for this. The Cons are in a bit of a slouch right now, Scheer is less exciting than a sale on toilet paper, and they can use some above-the-fold coverage for something. So, split before an election they probably wouldn't win, let each faction whip up their base, then prior to the election after that, energize them all by announcing an "historic merger" of the two parties into one right-wing juggernaut. LOL.

Thu, 2018-08-23 17:03

(Reply to #27) #28

robbie_dee

Mr. Magoo wrote:

At the same time, this is probably the perfect time for this. The Cons are in a bit of a slouch right now, Scheer is less exciting than a sale on toilet paper, and they can use some above-the-fold coverage for something. So, split before an election they probably wouldn't win, let each faction whip up their base, then prior to the election after that, energize them all by announcing an "historic merger" of the two parties into one right-wing juggernaut. LOL.

Nah, that would would never work. ;)

Thu, 2018-08-23 17:06

#29

josh

Bernier still thinks he was robbed in the leadership election. That’s what this is all about.

Thu, 2018-08-23 17:33

(Reply to #29) #30

gadar

Unionist wrote:

I'm suggesting: Republican Independent Party.

I like that. Very creative Unionist.

RIP

Some Cons are probably having a meltdown lol

Thu, 2018-08-23 17:48

(Reply to #30) #31

voice of the damned

cco wrote:
6079_Smith_W wrote:

It will be interesting to see how Bernier's party plays among western racists and xenophobes who see his culture as Exhibit A of Canada's multicultural excess.

I agree, but, the GOP used to hate Russia, too. Whiteness can bridge a lot of gaps, it seems -- economic (impoverished whites voting for the corporate billionaires' party), religious (white American Christians voting overwhelmingly for Trump, the least religiously observant president in American history), geopolitical (Russia), and perhaps linguistic, as well.

Yeah. Pretty much everyone who voted Reform in the 80s and 90s had voted for the Quebecker Mulroney in '84.

Thu, 2018-08-23 18:15

#32

pietro_bcc

I think people are underestimating the effect Bernier's new party could have. I could see him realistically taking 10-15% of the vote. I listen to a lot of Conservative radio at work and all the complain about is the high price of milk because of supply management and how there is too much immigration. Bernier represents certain Conservative positions that are popular in their political circle that are unrepresented by the Conservative party.

Thu, 2018-08-23 18:35

(Reply to #32) #33

alan smithee alan smithee's picture

pietro_bcc wrote:

I think people are underestimating the effect Bernier's new party could have. I could see him realistically taking 10-15% of the vote. I listen to a lot of Conservative radio at work and all the complain about is the high price of milk because of supply management and how there is too much immigration. Bernier represents certain Conservative positions that are popular in their political circle that are unrepresented by the Conservative party.

That's 10-15% off the CPC support. And that works fine with me.

Thu, 2018-08-23 18:50

#34

Mr. Magoo

Quote:
That's 10-15% off the CPC support. And that works fine with me.

Ya, I surely don't wish him any good luck, UNLESS it comes directly at the expense of Scheer, in a zero-sum game.

That said, FWIW, Bernier is doing exactly what he's supposed to do in a democracy. He disagrees with the parties that exist now, so he's choosing to be another option. I respect that much more than if he just sat around whining that the party he wishes agreed with him 100% would agree with him 100%, and sulking when they don't.

Thu, 2018-08-23 22:34

(Reply to #34) #35

JKR

Michael Moriarity wrote:

It seems unlikely to me that Bernier will have much success with his new right wing party. However, if he does manage to run candidates in most ridings, and pull even a few percent from the Cons, this is great news for the Liberals. Justin may turn out to be as lucky as Chretien was.

I think this turn of events could also help the NDP win seats they would otherwise come in at least a close 2nd to the Conservatives in.

Thu, 2018-08-23 22:58

(Reply to #35) #36

jerrym

JKR wrote:
Michael Moriarity wrote:

It seems unlikely to me that Bernier will have much success with his new right wing party. However, if he does manage to run candidates in most ridings, and pull even a few percent from the Cons, this is great news for the Liberals. Justin may turn out to be as lucky as Chretien was.

I think this turn of events could also help the NDP win seats they would otherwise come in at least a close 2nd to the Conservatives in.

If Bernier can organize (not one of his strong points) a party, or catch a wave of racist resentment like somebody we know he could help the NDP.

Fri, 2018-08-24 01:28

(Reply to #36) #37

Pogo

6079_Smith_W wrote:
Jumping on board a Quebec-based racist party? Somehow I don't see it happening, but I look forward to seeing the reception Bernier is going to get from the people he assumes are his ideological allies.

Isn't it a Canadian tradition to go from hating one group to joining them in hating the next target? It's our version of nation building...

Fri, 2018-08-24 03:03

#38

NorthReport

Francophone politician slams Canada’s diversity for not assimilating his culture

https://www.thebeaverton.com/2018/08/francophone-politician-slams-canada...

Fri, 2018-08-24 03:25

#39

6079_Smith_W

Well, it's one thing to agree with him, and to vote for him to head the Conservative Party:

https://nationalpost.com/opinion/derek-fildebrandt-mad-max-was-not-just-...

https://calgaryherald.com/news/politics/fildebrandt-backs-bernier-on-div...

But you'll note that Fildebrandt is using Bernier to push his own brand. When it comes to the fringe that is even more racist than the Conservatives themselves, somehow I don't see a big national coalition, especially not one involving the two groups that certain western Anglophones love to bash more than any other - Central Canadians and Francophones. We already have Christian Heritage, the Libertarians, the up and coming Canadian National Party, all of which have racist anti-immigration policies.

But let's see if anyone west of Manitoba is willing to risk jumping on Bernier's bandwagon.

And he is doing exactly what he is supposed to do? Well aside from the fact that is not necessarily how party solidarity works, even if he decides leaving is his only option coming back to throw a bomb at a party convention might get him more of a reputation as someone who can't be trusted to work in groups. And that's not even getting into his actual message, which is damaging enough even if this ends his political career. It has already given fodder to others with similar ideas.

So CAN he do it? Obviously. Is it exactly what he should be doing? Personally I am not willing to sign off on that one.

Fri, 2018-08-24 06:55

#40

voice of the damned

When it comes to the fringe that is even more racist than the Conservatives themselves, somehow I don't see a big national coalition, especially not one involving the two groups that certain western Anglophones love to bash more than any other - Central Canadians and Francophones.

I think as long as the coalition is pushing more power for ALL the provinces(which it almost certainly would, given Bernier's presumed views as a Harperite), the western redneck crowd wouldn't have a problem with it. If they push "Quebec can shit on minorities because we're distinct, but the rest of the country has to accept diversity", that's obviously not gonna sell in the west, but I don't think that's what he's gonna do.

Didn't the Northern League make some big inroads in the south of Italy last election, that region being the usual object of animosity for their original base?

Fri, 2018-08-24 07:00

#41

voice of the damned

This talk of western rednecks being willing or not to vote for Quebec reactionaries reminded me of this bit of Social Credit folklore...

On the Saturday of the convention, Caouette had given a 90-minute speech in which he described Thompson as a “marionette” for Manning. He also dropped a bombshell: he claimed that in 1960, ten minutes before the leadership vote, Manning had instructed him to “tell your people to vote for Thompson because the West will never accept a Roman Catholic French Canadian leader”.[1]

Manning was probably correct that westerners wouldn't vote for a French Canadian Socred. Then again, it was pretty apparent after that point that they weren't gonna vote for ANY Socreds.

https://tinyurl.com/y73rykwh

Fri, 2018-08-24 09:13

(Reply to #41) #42

6079_Smith_W

voice of the damned wrote:

I think as long as the coalition is pushing more power for ALL the provinces(which it almost certainly would, given Bernier's presumed views as a Harperite), the western redneck crowd wouldn't have a problem with it.

Sure. As was already mentioned, many westerners were willing to do that with Mulroney until they became dissatisfied and founded Reform. And social conservatives also knuckled under to Stephen Harper on certain issues in the interests of putting a big political machine in power.

But we aren't talking about a big political machine here. We are coming into an election year and we aren't even talking about a party. We have a disgruntled former leadership candidate flouncing at a party policy convention.

So this isn't just about westerners who hate Quebec as much as they hate immigrants. It is also about the fact we already have established parties pushing this line, and that the Conservative Party is only better in terms of how they spin it.

I may be wrong, but I don't see enough critical mass there to do anything but sink the Conservative party, and further embolden a bunch of racists.

And libertarians, as Bernier is also going after supply management. How is that going to play in dairyland? And again, we already have a libertarian party (which also has a racist anti-multicultural policy), so what does it say that he isn't joining them, and instead wants to start the Bernier Party?

"Our immigration policy should not aim to forcibly change the cultural character and social fabric of Canada, as radical proponents of multiculturalism want. "

https://www.libertarian.ca/canada_s_immigration_policy_must_aim_to_fulfi...

A smarter politician might have let Scheer lose this next one, then come back next time to pick up the pieces in the party that stands a chance of winning an election.

Fri, 2018-08-24 12:11

(Reply to #42) #43

robbie_dee

6079_Smith_W wrote:

A smarter politician might have let Scheer lose this next one, then come back next time to pick up the pieces in the party that stands a chance of winning an election.

This is the thing that amazes me most of all. Bernier might have actually won the last Conservative leadership vote, in any event there is no dispute he was at least a very close second. He had enormous support within the Party. There are all kinds of ways he could have screwed with and undermined Scheer between now and the next election, which odds are that the Conservatives will lose, and then he couuld have taken another shot at the leadership afterwards. Unless there is some secret organizational and financial network that is going to suddenly emerge to back Le Bloc Bernieriste, his proposed new party is just smoke and mirrors. He's basically ended his political career, for what?

Fri, 2018-08-24 11:54

(Reply to #43) #44

Ken Burch

Pogo wrote:

6079_Smith_W wrote:
Jumping on board a Quebec-based racist party? Somehow I don't see it happening, but I look forward to seeing the reception Bernier is going to get from the people he assumes are his ideological allies.

Isn't it a Canadian tradition to go from hating one group to joining them in hating the next target? It's our version of nation building...

Happens in the States, too. Look at the Irish, Italian, and Slavic immigrants who came to the U.S. with no real feelings about African-Americans, but learned to hate them(as their descendants learned to hate Hispanic, Jewish, and Muslim immigrants, just to fit in in "the land of the free".

Fri, 2018-08-24 12:04

(Reply to #44) #45

Ken Burch

voice of the damned wrote:

Didn't the Northern League make some big inroads in the south of Italy last election, that region being the usual object of animosity for their original base?

That's weird. The whole reason the Northern League exists is to appeal to people who think all Southern Italians are "welfare bums"(not a phraseology I endorse for actual poor people, btw, just a convenient shorthand in this case). What would their pitch to Southern Italians even be: "You're better off with the party that hates you!"?

Fri, 2018-08-24 12:18

#46

voice of the damned

From an analysis of the election results...

The two clear winners of these elections were the Five Star Movement and the League. While Five Star triumphed in the south, the centre-right coalition, made up of the League, Forza Italia and Fratelli d'Italia dominated the north. For the first time in the history of this centre right coalition, the League gained more votes (17.63%) than Forza Italia (14.43%).

The League’s larger vote share was, however, partly due to the total of 987,406 votes that it received in the central-southern regions. For Salvini – a man who has a long history of insulting southern Italians with labels such as “parasites” – to win 23 deputies from the south is proof of how effective his revolution has been.

Mind you, I don't know what 23 deputies translates to as a percentage of the central-southern vote. Another article I saw said that the League was predicted to get 7% of the vote in the south, but that was written before the election.

Some here will probably remember that the Confederation Of Regions became the official opposition in New Brunswick, back when the Tories were still recovering from the Hatfield debacle. Though I don't think the COR in its western incarnation usually attacked Maritimers per se.

https://tinyurl.com/ybx9hdts

Fri, 2018-08-24 13:27

#47

WWWTT

Before I start, I confess I know next nothing about Quebec politics. Actually lets make that nothing.

My first reaction is to say that this guy is a whack job eagerly digging his own political grave. So I decided to research this character. And now my opinion has changed.

It turns out his father was also a fed pc MP, left the party to successfuly run as an indi. in 93! To me this move by his father showed an incredible insight and I suspect he was probably a very strong intellect! Not so sure if any of this was inhereted by Maxime?

But looking at Maxime's political carreer communtiy work and combined with his wife, I would not dismiss this guy at this early stage!

Right now without any further info, I'm going to say he holds on to his seat in 2019. Also he's going to hurt the conservatives inside Quebec!

Keep in mind, that there is another 12 conservate MP's currently in Quebec! I guarantee every single babbler here, that he will try to convert every single one over to his party! Guaranteed! If he is successful, and these other MP's jump ship (and how many) before 2019 parliament is dissolved, he's going to suck every single atom of oxygen out of Canadian politics!

Whatever happens, Maxime made Quebec politics 10X more confusing and harder for me to follow!

Fri, 2018-08-24 14:59

(Reply to #47) #48

bekayne

voice of the damned wrote:

This talk of western rednecks being willing or not to vote for Quebec reactionaries reminded me of this bit of Social Credit folklore...

On the Saturday of the convention, Caouette had given a 90-minute speech in which he described Thompson as a “marionette” for Manning. He also dropped a bombshell: he claimed that in 1960, ten minutes before the leadership vote, Manning had instructed him to “tell your people to vote for Thompson because the West will never accept a Roman Catholic French Canadian leader”.[1]

Manning was probably correct that westerners wouldn't vote for a French Canadian Socred. Then again, it was pretty apparent after that point that they weren't gonna vote for ANY Socreds.

https://tinyurl.com/y73rykwh

My favourite part of that storty is that after Thompson won a squeaker over Caoutte, Ernest Manning instructed young Preston to burn all the ballots.

Fri, 2018-08-24 16:05

#49

jerrym

Bernier may not have a lot of support at this moment but he has some. I also wonder since there is just over a year to the election whether he might pursue the leadership of the Libertarian Party, which ran 72 candidates in 2015 and got 0.93% of the vote in those ridings they ran in with a no-name leader, Tim Moen, as organizing from scratch in such a short time frame would be very difficult.

All but one member of Bernier's Beauce riding executive have resigned from the Conservative Party to support him.

He hopes to draw on key organizers from his failed leadership campaign, but otherwise Bernier will be looking to see who comes forward. ...

“He couldn’t talk to many people before yesterday, just because it was too sensitive and we didn’t want the story to leak before he made his announcement,” the source said Thursday, but declined to give any names of people ready to come on board. I know he’s talked to a few influential supporters across the country from the leadership campaign, he’s talked to them in the past two days and they’re supportive. But really, we’re at the preliminary stage.” ...

The source said Bernier does not have polling to suggest how well a breakaway conservative party would do but is sure that his policy ideas — dismantling supply management, ending corporate welfare and pushing a much more skeptical line on immigration and multiculturalism — will find substantial support among the party’s base. ...

But there are indications Bernier will get grassroots support. The president of the Conservative riding association in Bernier’s Quebec riding of Beauce told CBC that “we’ve always been there more for Maxime than for the party,” and that all but one member was resigning in support.

https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/whos-on-the-team-for-maxime-berni...

Fri, 2018-08-24 16:30

#50

gadar

If Bernier succeeds in getting his party off the ground and gets 12-15% (which is not IMO unreasonable) of the vote and a couple of MP's, he will have finished unite the right project of Harper. Harper's only legacy will be lying in ruins. Thats the reason he was critcizing Bernier within fifteen minutes of the announcement.

Then after the next election Mckay can take over the leadership of the CPC and sell them out to Bernier later.

Oh since Paul Wells wrote 'Right Side Up' will he be writing the sequel 'Right Side sideways'.

Fri, 2018-08-24 18:28

#51

gadar

The Bernier headache is just beginning

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-the-bernier-headache-is-...

Maxime Bernier

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