Bloc Will Back Tories

I'm not sure what to make of the Bloc's co-operative tone towards the new government:

The Bloc Quebecois says it intends to keep the Conservative minority government in office for a "good while," encouraged by the Tories' openness toward Quebec....

In an interview, Bloc House Leader Michel Gauthier said his party has no intention of imposing such demands and will simply be happy with an end to Liberal centralization and the Conservative pledge to respect the constitutional division of powers.

"We don't want useless battles. We want to help the government function for a while. I have no shame in saying I will be urging my colleagues . . . to conduct ourselves in a way that the government stays in place for a good while to do what needs to be done," he said in French.

"[The Conservatives] have already shown more openness than the Liberals. The Liberals were centralist in everything they did, trying to infringe on the responsibilities of Quebec. It couldn't be worse that that. I think the Conservatives will be more respectful of Quebec's responsibilities."

The Bloc takes a curious position, by openly praising the Conservatives attitude towards Quebec. We have already heard alot of speculation that the Conservatives see Quebec as key to a any future majority. Doesn't the Bloc's position feed the perception that the Conservatives are good for Quebec? On the surface, defending the government might translate into the Bloc risking their own relevance in future elections. The decision to prop up the government, might translate into more Conservative seats in the future.

Or, are the Bloc supporting the Conservatives, as a tactic to make the Liberals irrelevant in Quebec? The Liberals are the traditional federalist party in Quebec. In addition, the Liberals are a more natural fit for Quebecs on social issues, while the Conservatives will always be to the right of the majority. Does the Bloc see an opportunity to gain, at the expense of the more historically relevant Party? Painting the Liberals as the centralists, forever opposed to Quebec's aspirations may work in the long term, and the alternative will be the awkward Conservative agenda.

The Conservatives may see a certain risk in the appearance that their government serves at the pleasure of seperatists. It will be interesting to see if Harper is satisfied to pass legislation without the support of the other federal parties. The Liberals and NDP will definitely exploit the seperatist angle, but the Conservatives may see the potential gains in Quebec as paramount. It will be an interesting dance, as both the Bloc and Conservatives look for political advantage, without alienating their potential voter base. On the surface, the Bloc at its word is simply interested in good government, but underneath their stance may be a shrewd political move with long term benefits.