Separatists double efforts in face of Tory surge
Last Updated: Thursday, January 19, 2006 | 8:42 AM ET
CBC News
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Boisclair said Harper's vow to fix the fiscal gap between the federal and provincial governments hasn't been specific enough. He also said Harper needs to provide more detail about equalization payments.
After winning the PQ leadership in mid-November, Boisclair dove into the federal election campaign but disappeared from the picture in December when the Bloc appeared to be soaring far ahead in the polls.
With recent polls suggesting the Conservatives could win seats in the province for the first time since 1997, Boisclair is back.
"I think that people will understand that Mr. Harper for Quebec is as dangerous as Mr. Martin," he said.
Harper's newfound appeal shouldn't be surprising, said Daniel Salee, a political scientist at Concordia University.
"I think he's succeeded in convincing people that he's not this hard-core, right-wing, Reform red-neck kind of person that Quebecers may fear," said Salee.
Salee said the Conservatives have something the Bloc cannot match – they could form the next government.
But after languishing in the province for most of the past decade, the Conservatives don't have much organization on the ground, which means they might not be able to turn those promising poll results into ballots on election day.
Without knowing who their supporters are, the Tories will be hard pressed to make sure they get the vote out.
