Sometimes, in the most dire of circumstances, the oddest of political bedfellows come together.

Diametrical opposites. Matter and anti-matter. Oil and water.

Sovereigntist and federalist.

In a surprising turn of events, Jean Charest is running to the defence of the Bloc Québécois. Strange, because the Bloc is the federal cousin of the Quebec Liberals' arch rival in this election, the PQ.

Charest is responding to powerful rhetoric in Ottawa from prime minister Stephen Harper, who has been denigrating the Liberal-NDP coalition attempting to replace the Conservatives, by relying on support from the Bloc.

On Wednesday, Harper repeated his disdain for the ad hoc arrangement between the three federal opposition parties.

"Let me be very clear: Canada's government cannot enter into a power-sharing coalition with a separatist party," Harper said in his televised address to the nation.

Charest is tacitly slapping Harper's wrist. He told reporters:

"It happened to me, when I was in the federal government, that I would face reproach for having backed the Bloc Québécois, or the positions of the Bloc. I remember that," Charest said.

"But each time, you have to bring it back to the basics, and the notion of respect," he said.

"Democracy spoke last October 14 [federal election day], the people expressed themselves. That has to be respected," Charest said, insisting on the legitimacy of the Bloc as a party in the House of Commons.

Charest has little choice, with just a few days to go in the provincial campaign.

He wants to rally Quebec voters of all stripes behind his Liberals, to form his own majority government. Charest is attempting to appear tolerant and open to all political positions, to rise above the fray of the political hijinx in Ottawa which has left many voters feeling more cynical about politicians in general.