SINCE its founding in 1968, the separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) has had a single goal—independence for the largely French-speaking province of Quebec. When it won majorities in 1976 and 1994, they were followed by provincial referendums on independence in 1980 and 1995. The first was lost by a wide margin, the second by a hair’s breadth. Quebec secessionists have long expected to have a third go when the party next forms a majority government.That moment looks close. On March 5th Pauline Marois (pictured), the PQ leader and head of a minority government in Quebec since September 2012, called a snap election for April 7th. Polls suggest the PQ will win a majority of seats. Yet Ms Marois has fobbed off attempts to pin her down on the timing of a referendum by announcing that a PQ majority government would first commission a white paper on Quebec’s future. Such hesitancy has dismayed stalwart separatists keen to get on with creating a country out of Canada’s second-most populous province. But Ms Marois has sound reasons to tread softly.First, the party’s recent surge in the polls has little to do with public...
via The Economist: The Americas http://ift.tt/NAZVRy
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