18 Responses for "The Sign War"

1. Dr. Spaceman September 19th, 2008 at 8:45 am 1

   I just move to Québec from Alberta and I’ve been wondering the same thing!

   Any answers?

2. Éric Grenier (Bloc Québécois) September 19th, 2008 at 8:51 am 2

   The only electoral difference between Quebec and the rest of the country is the Bloc Quebecois. Perhaps the Bloc pioneered this sort of thing, and the other parties had to respond.

   My only other answer is that Quebec is more politicised than the rest of the country. Turnout is usually higher, provincial elections matter like no where else, and we’ve had two referendums on independence and two referendums on the Constitution that directly involved the province in the last thirty years. Maybe the parties just think they have to up their game in Quebec.

   The best political ad I’ve seen on TV is that of the NDP’s ad in Quebec.

3. Dr. Spaceman September 19th, 2008 at 9:44 am 3

   I’m not sure how “higher stakes” arguments explains the photos on signs and their location (most notably on poles)…

4. Éric Grenier (Bloc Québécois) September 19th, 2008 at 9:53 am 4

   Honestly, I’m at a loss for an explanation. It really makes me wonder why Paul Fréchette in Hull-Aylmer is present in all his glory on Conservative signs, while Royal Galipeau or Elie Salibi across the river only need to have their names on their signs.

5. Sylvain Lapointe September 19th, 2008 at 10:08 am 5

   Francophones being latins, are more influence by pictures. France and Italy are the same way. The USA and England have no pictures on their election signs…

   I am francophone, so I like signs with faces on them also. It gets my attention more.

6. Éric Grenier (Bloc Québécois) September 19th, 2008 at 10:11 am 6

   Could that really be it? Almost seems racist! I agree I like them more as well, but surely it has to be more nuanced than that.

   And still doesn’t explain where the signs are placed. Perhaps the law in Quebec prohibits lawn signs.

7. Dr. Spaceman September 19th, 2008 at 10:13 am 7

   I am Italian and I find Pierre Ducasse and Marcel Proulx pictures on signs distracting when I’m driving on Blvd Maisonneuve…

   I like your possible explaination Sylvain, are there signs in heavily latin blooded ridings such as Vaughan/Woodbridge? or the Portuguese part of Toronto?

8. Éric Grenier (Bloc Québécois) September 19th, 2008 at 10:16 am 8

   Maybe parties outside of Quebec realise their candidates don’t always look so great when magnified on huge signs.

9. Sylvain Lapointe September 19th, 2008 at 10:33 am 9

   Hi guys, actually party honchos in each province decide types of signs for each province.

   Focus group revealed Quebec voters liked signs with pictures more that’s all, nothing racists or whatever.

   And you see, lawn signs have never been popular in Quebec, perhaps after seeing the faces on them people didn’t want to put them on their lawns…..

10. Ben C September 19th, 2008 at 11:18 am 10

    Nope, signs in Quebec are hideous. I don’t want to see the candidate’s mug all over town – it’s obnoxious.

11. jj_frap September 19th, 2008 at 3:07 pm 11

    I too am lost for a explanation as to why social democrats in Quebec are so ****ing parochial and narrowminded as to support the Blocheads over real progress and change with the NDP.

12. Éric Grenier (Bloc Québécois) September 19th, 2008 at 5:18 pm 12

    The NDP is just as much of a powerless opposition party as the Bloc, but the Bloc Quebecois is a bit more level-headed than the NDP. If the Bloc formed a government, they would probably run it well enough. If the NDP did, it would probably be worse than Rae’s Ontario.

    But the simple answer to your question is that sovereigntists don’t want federalists representing them in Parliament. That is like asking social democrats to have Conservatives represent them in Parliament. Is it so hard to understand?

13. Louise Tremblay Matchett September 19th, 2008 at 8:03 pm 13

    One wonders why, if one is a devout sovereignist, why one would bother voting in a federal election and why one would come to an internet site, during a federal election campaign, to post to the many citizens outside of Québec, that one is a sovereignist.

    What is this? If sovereignists want sovereignity, truly, they should concentrate their efforts in Québec to promote the election of the Parti Québecois. I might add, if you are trying to sway votes in Québec for the Bloc, why are you writing in English?

    One just wonders what your purpose is here… Maybe your presence here is a tribute to Greg Morrow for having a good election site. On that issue, I agree.

14. Matt September 19th, 2008 at 8:08 pm 14

    For some reason, it’s quite rare for people to take signs for their homes in Quebec, whereas in other parts of the country (I grew up in Winnipeg) lawn signs are routine.

    In fact, one of the things that was most startling about the victorious NDP campaign in Outremont last year was what an unheard-of number of people — and even businesses — took NDP signs.

15. Éric Grenier (Bloc Québécois) September 20th, 2008 at 6:01 am 15

    Louise,

    Like it or not, federal MPs represent me and speak for me in Parliament. I want my MP to speak for me directly, and like it or not, Quebec is part of this country and I have a right to have a representative who supports my views speaking for me in this country’s highest representative body. As long as Quebec is part of this country, I am a part of this country, and my views are as valid as any other’s.

    The Bloc Quebecois defends the interests of Quebec. The PQ can only do that if they form government. With the PQ out of government, our best defense is to have Bloc MPs in the House of Commons.

    I write in English because it is my first language.

    And yes, this is a good election site, and that is why I’m here. Also, I believe it necessary for Canadians to realise that there are people like me in their country and we shouldn’t be ignored.

    You are more or less saying that I don’t deserve to speak here before I am a sovereigntist. That isn’t very democratic of you.

16. Neal September 20th, 2008 at 12:11 pm 16

    One reason why there are differences in how signs are posted in Quebec vs Ontario are laws about posting signs. In ON, or at least prts of it, you can’t post signs on poles and other public property, wheras in QC you can. Notice that they are using the plastic strips to secure the signs now, ad opposed to tape and/or staples as in the past.
    I was told that one reason lawn signs are not common in QC, is because there used to be vandalism, particularly spot fires on lawns where they were posted some years ago. I’ve yet to see documentation on this, but it makes sense.

17. mikeb September 21st, 2008 at 7:57 am 17

    Mario Silva in the Toronto riding of Davenport has his picture on his larger signs. I haven’t seen any big signs from other parties in the riding to say whether its only him or other candidates as well.

18. Stephane Larochelle September 22nd, 2008 at 7:52 am 18

    The difference in signs dates back to the early 1970s. It was the Provincial Liberals (Bourassa) who discovered that in Quebec some people might note vote for you if they don’t know what you look like. I guess it is a French cultural thing… We have to have some connection with the person we are voting for… How could I vote for you if I don’t even know what you look like? This is a non-issue in the rest of Canada as it doesn`t seem to make a difference there. By the way, in the first election with faces on the signs, the Liberals in 1973 won 102 seats out of 110. Since then every major party has put faces on signs (The PQ did it big time in 1976 and won). The Union National had regular signs without pictures and went from 17 seats to no seat.

    But in Quebec, every major party now (except maybe the green) puts the face of the candidate on their campaign sign.