Campaign signs for the Green Party candidate in my riding (Laurier-Ville Marie) went up over the weekend. This is totally insignificant electorally, since the sitting MP is Gilles Duceppe, who won last time by approximately 2b votes and who, as far as I know, hasn't set foot in the riding since the writ drop. What is interesting about the local Green candidate's appearance little more than a week before the election is the slogan on his signs. M. Dylan Perceval-Maxwell is running with the catchy slogan, "La souveraineté personnelle" - personal sovereignty or independence. This is remarkable, not just because the regular old signs of the Green Party have a difference slogan ("La politique différemment"), but because I'm astounded that it's the Green's who have chosen to inject a little sovereignty spice into this election campaign. Even the Bloc has been relatively quiet about the subject (not counting the discontented former members, anyway).
It's highly probable that this will go totally unnoticed since no one will challenge M. Duceppe, let alone the Green candidate, in this particular riding. It is worth taking note of, however, if, as everyone else seems to think, the Greens will move from simply en vogue to a real fifth column in Canadian federal politics. Unlike the other parties, they have not yet had to define their position on the unity of the federation in the public spotlight, but should they continue to rise they will have to, and it will be interesting to see the degree to which the Quebec Greens hold fast to notions of sovereignty - personal or otherwise.
Update...
So, no photos yet, but since I was feeling a bit frisky about all this I emailed the Perceval-Maxwell campaign to ask about the slogan. Below are the questions and reponses (all non-capitalized letters came from them). I leave it to you to judge them yourself:
What does this slogan mean to you?
it means personal freedom
Why have you adopted a different slogan from the other slogan used onGreen Party signs, "La politique differement?"
it is complementary to theother slogan as we believe in giving the power to you the people rather than keeping it for ourselves
What is the Green Party position on Quebec independence?
we believe incoming together rather than breaking apart, but also we believe in decentralization of power not just from Ottawa to Quebec city but to the people
What is your position on Quebec independence?
I am not supporter of Quebec separating from Canada
