From: "John Beamish" 

You answer the question exactly:  "on an issue by issue basis". 
That would not be a coalition.

When you say "nor is it true that the Bloc is seen as solely a party
that wants separation", you're simply referring to the "new and
improved version".  That is simply Bloc spin.  Absent the issue of
separation, there is little difference between the Bloc and the NDP (well,
the NDP _might_ be slightly closer to the centre of the political
spectrum).

There is one policy area where the Conservatives and Bloc do have
agreement. Both believe that federal funds sent to the provinces should be
controlled by the provinces.  The feds believe that funds transferred for,
say, health care must be used for health care.  Both the Bloc and the
Conservatives believe that when the funds have been transferred they are to
be used in whatever manner the province deems appropriate.



"Gene McAloon"  wrote in message
news:ffh4e0tc9ufnkooulhgari4n586tnakst6{at}4ax.com...
> On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 21:06:08 -0400, "John Beamish"
 com> wrote:
>
> I believe that is more an expression of your attitude towards the Bloc
than
> anything having to do with reality. That reality is that, had the
Conservatives
> gotten more votes than the Libs, they could have governed only by forming
a
> coalition. The only possible coalition partner would be the Bloc.
Therefore,
> they would have joined with the Bloc. The Bloc knew that, which explains
the
> statement by its leader that he would cooperate with the Conservatives in
a
> coalition only on an issue by issue basis. A coalition there most
certainly
> would have been.
>
> Nor is it true that the Bloc is seen as solely a party that wants
separation and
> cares nothing about anything else. The Bloc is in fact a force in
Parliament on
> many issues. But as a minority party it can never hope to get what it
wants
> without supporting one or another party, whether in a coalition or not.
> Naturally the party most likely to help it is the one party which really
> wouldn't be at all sorry to see the francophones leave the country, the
> Conservatives. It would be a natural fit for both, despite their
placements on
> the political spectrum.
>
>

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