Maybe now Quebecers can stop fighting the 1995 referendum and start focusing on building a more modern and effective province.
The signal that the final shoe may have dropped after 12 years of poisonous post-referendum politics comes from a retired Quebec judge, Bernard Grenier, who says the federalist No side, through the agency Options Canada, illegally spent $539,000 during 1995 campaign. The money came from the federal Heritage Department and was part of about $11 million spent by Option Canada and the Council for Canadian Unity during the near-death referendum.
It is a function of ethnic nationalism that it remembers every slight, real or imagined, incurred over the long years of struggle, but even the most diehard sovereigntist now surely will move on; especially after an election that soundly repudiated the idea of another referendum in the near future. Many supporters of independence for Quebec had felt that the federalist side had illegally spent about $5 million trying to influence the outcome. That they overinflated the amount so greatly surely takes wind out of their sails.
Judge Bernard Grenier and Quebec's chief elections officer Marcel Blanchet leave a news conference after announcing Grenier's finding that the No side overspent during the 1995 Quebec referendum campaign.
Judge Bernard Grenier and Quebec's chief elections officer Marcel Blanchet leave a news conference after announcing Grenier's finding that the No side overspent during the 1995 Quebec referendum campaign.
Clement Allard, The Canadian Press

But federalists can't take much comfort here. Convincing Quebecers of the value of staying within Canada is not really helped very much by sponsorship programs that attempt to use logos and hunting and fishing shows as means to convince people of the value of the federal presence. Illegal campaign spending, too, is not helpful, even in such a small amount, because when it is found out, as is usually the case, the discredit it does to the cause of Canada is too great.
The judge's finding has given the Charest government a chance to work out a compromise over its budget with the Parti Quebecois. Until now, the likelihood of another provincial election appeared to be growing because of polling numbers that placed the Liberals in third place behind the ADQ and the PQ.
The polls had emboldened the PQ to believe that it could pick a new leader quickly and still win the next campaign, especially after presumptive leader Pauline Marois had promised to review the promise to hold a referendum during the next mandate.
It's hard to disagree with Mr. Charest's budget. It promises tax cuts, increased health and education spending, and debt reduction. The only people who should be angry about his proposal are those in "have" provinces such as Ontario, from where much of the money that allows a tax cut came.
He won't enjoy the experience, but Mr. Charest must compromise because Quebecers don't want to spend another $70 million on an election so soon after the previous one. Even if a deal on the budget can be reached, it will not keep his government secure for very long. The opposition ADQ is working hard to line up more credible candidates to contest another vote as soon as it can. Once the PQ chooses a new leader, it too will be much more ready to topple Mr. Charest.
But for now we can hope that Quebec voters can relax for a few more months before they head back to the polling booth.