Did Charest Hand Separatists a Victory?

Bourque calls Premier Jean Charest's words to a Paris interviewer a 'major Charest blunder' and Andre Boisclair tells the Toronto Star that 'the premier went further than any previous federalist leader by admitting what sovereignists have argued for 30 years.' So, what exactly did Charest say that's given some Quebec separatists encouragement?

Charest said in a television interview in Paris that nobody's questioning Quebec's ability to go it alone, but added it's not in his province's interest to do so.

"The question today isn't whether we have the means," he said in the interview to be broadcast tomorrow. "Yes, we do. Nobody questions that.

"The real question is ... what is in our best interests? What is best for Quebec?"

The TV5 journalist noted that Charest agreed Quebec has the means to be independent, prompting the premier to clarify later by telephone that he didn't come to Europe to discuss Quebec's internal debates.

He said that while technically and legally Quebec has the means to become independent, "that does not give the complete picture."

I'm sure Alberta also has the means to 'go it alone' as some western separatists have been claiming for years as well. That certainly doesn't mean it would be a practical or wise thing to do.

So, this assertion by Charest ought not be characterized as a 'blunder', except for the fact that he apologized for airing Quebec's dirty laundry in public. It's simply an acknowledgement of economic reality in a very general sense. The real devil, as they say, is still in the many complicated details and the sovereignists have yet to prove their case.