I ended the last post by stating that this post would report on the “husband of the other”, and someone who makes fun of them all.   So what the heck does that mean?  Read-on…

#16  Pierre Karl Péladeau (PKP) –

Pierre Karl Péladeau (PKP) is now publicly known for three things in life:

1. He is to be crowned the head of the Parti Québécois on May 15, 2015
2. He is Québec’s largest media mogul, owning 40% of Québec’s media empire (Québecor, the television network TVA, the Journal de Montréal, the Journal de Québec, Metro, a plethora of magazines, production companies, and others).
3. He is the “husband of the other”. This is a play on words of a now-popular expression which denotes that he and Julie Snyder are a power-couple in their quest for Québec independence (Snyder was the subject of the previous post).   The original expression was “the spouse of the other”, which was coined by the political party CAQ leader to describe Julie Snyder – and which started a very public spat between the CAQ leader and Snyder.

I have already written quite a bit about PKP in this blog, and there is already enough info out there in internet land about him.   Thus, there is not much reason for me to go much further into the topic.  If you’d like to read some of my own thoughts about PKP and his actions, by all means, feel free to read the post No way, le Figaro (#76).

Wikipedia can also offer you some info: Click HERE for the Wikipedia article.

But I will briefly mention why I believe he ranked #16 in the list of the most trusted people in Québec.

• First, I find it quite interesting that he is considered less trusted than his wife (in the #15 position).
• Second, I find it even more interesting that he ranks 6 full places behind his political enemy, Philippe Couillard (he has a lot of work cut out for him if he wishes to lead Québec to independence… but he has a full three years to try to pull of an increase in popularity to the extent that he can win the next election.  Never forget that a year in politics is a lifetime – so anything can happen).
• Third, I find it remarkable that PKP and Julie Snyder rank back-to-back in trust level.   I believe that it shows they come as an inseperable political couple — our own political Ding & Dong of the world of politics (remember that post?).
• Fourth, I’m not surprised he ranks on the list (after all that’s a feat in and of itself considering that Justin Trudeau does not appear on the list, and neither does the CAQ leader).  PKP is a politician who is followed very carefully by both friend and foe.  And when you have friends (and everyone has friends to some extent), you’re going to have support.  PKP’s has enough support to rank #16, but not enough to rank #1, 2, 3 (or 9 & 10 – the ranks of his greatest political foes).

I’ll just leave it at that… for now.

#17  Jean-René Dufort –

Again, I had previously written a post of Jean-René Dufort, which you can read by clicking his name in blue.

Briefly speaking, he is “sort of” like the Montréwood version of CBC’s Rick Mercer (or a field-reporter version of John Stewart in the USA).   However Jean-René Dufort’s program seems to be a bit more improvised, and a little more… intrusive.

He takes everyone to task, and delves into the crux of issues through quip, one-liners stuffed full of rhetorical irony.

I’m really not sure there is much more which I can say.   Because he takes everyone to task in his regularly aired Radio-Canada comedy program, people likely “trust” him to get to the bottom of things.

I’ll offer you one of my own little quip one-liners, stuffed full of irony: Isn’t it interesting that the Snyder-PKP duo pretty much fall in the same trust zone as a comedian?   Like I keep saying, this year will continue to be interesting… with more than a few laughs (But perhaps with a few surprises too.  It goes without saying that after seeing last week’s Alberta election – nothing is impossible anymore).

#18   Stephen Harper –

This guy needs no introduction (so at least it makes for less typing on my part).

One thing I can tell you, is that one year ago, and certainly two years ago, I don’t think we would have seen Stephen Harper on this list (like I said earlier, Justin Trudeau has not found his way on the list of Québec’s most trusted).   The fact that he ranks in the same band as Julie Snyder and PKP shows that the Conservatives have been gaining in popularity in Québec.

I find Harper’s ranking even more astounding considering that he can hardly speak French (it’s the most awkward, impersonal, and disconnect French of all the politicians who make the effort).  I mean, do you think that Ontarians, Albertans, or most other parts of the country would vote for a politician they couldn’t understand?

I’ll give a perfect example (and don’t laugh too loud!!) — Stephen Harper cannot say “election” in French.  Every time he tries, he ends up saying “Erection” !!   Yes… he comes out with sentences like “With this erection, I’m going to get right in there!”  (I’m not “stiffing” you folks!).   This is but one of the many “language issues” he has which has made him the laughing stock of Québec’s electorate.

I personally have never voted for the Federal Conservatives (although I saw much merit in the former federal “Progressive” Conservatives of Joe Clark — Joe Clark was my Calgary man of the hour.  But, in the absence of the old PCs, I truly have no idea which of the three main parties I would vote for if an election were held tomorrow — I truly see merit in all of our parties… and I’m waiting for that right combination to of policies to come forth).  Yet, I don’t have it out for Harper.  I may not agree with a chunk of his policies, but I don’t think he is a “bad guy” or ill intentioned (I believe his heart is in the right place with how he tries to make what he sees as the best decisions for the country).   And, as in any democracy, the rest of us are simply free to decide if we agree with that path or not — pretty simple stuff.  No need to demonize him (or any other politician or party for that matter — we’re all on the same side, after all).  Some countries have had it a lot worse (ever hear of Jean Marie Le Pen? or George W. Bush?).

But I wholeheartedly admit that it is extremely distracting and difficult to take your political class seriously if they can only say “erection” instead of “election”.   Here is a short montage to show you “exactly” what I mean:

Here’s the transcript:

• – The 4th erection in 7 years.  Question:  Do you want erections?
• – A 5th erection before the 4th one is even finished.  Are you sick and tired of having repetitive erections?
• – Do we really need this erection?
• – Liberals, NDP and the Bloc have forced this erection at the worst time.
• – To initiate erections.
• – Repetitive erections.
• – Dear friends, we the Conservatives, we do not want these erections!  But we will nontheless conquer this erection!
• – Canada cannot ruin the start of this growth by way of a useless erection.
• – During the partial erection, during the partial erection… to start a useless erection… an erection which will cost you hundreds of millions…
• – Repetitive erections…
• – How much does an erection cost??
• – Are you tired of repetitive erections?? (YEEESSSS!!!! Cheers!)
• – They decided to initiate a useless and opportunistic erection!
• – People ask me why we have erections.
• – People ask me why we have our fourth forced erection in seven years!

I should mention, teasing aside, that Stephen Harper has made an effort to start every single one of his official speeches in French, rather than English (even in very Anglophone places such as Medicine Hat or Sydney).  I’ll give credit where credit is due (neither Trudeau, Mulcair, nor May goes to the trouble of making such as gest… Harper is the only one).

Despite his difficulties in French, the Conservatives are especially popular in Québec City, and they have relatively higher support in a few other ridings in Québec.  I think that says something.

I’m not sure how the Conservatives will perform in Québec in the upcoming election.  After Alberta’s election, I have a funny feeling more and more people will be looking towards the NDP as a viable alternative worth considering.  And if Justin Trudeau can shore up his economic platform (and if he can come across as being someone who “understands” the numbers he’s preaching), then the Liberals may also be able to ride on the NDP’s new found momentum.  Thus nothing is certain for the Conservatives in Québec.  But then again, I could be completely off in left field.

Regardless, objectively speaking, the Conservative’s upswing in trust in Québec is impressive – considering they really were not on the political map in Québec even a couple of years ago.

The next post will be the last one in the top 20 countdown of the most trusted people in Québec.