On supporters

While La Presse's Quebec poll this morning has been discussed as the first indication of public opinion about a coalition government, perhaps the more important findings are the ones as to what respondents want the Bloc to do in response:

Une forte proportion des répondants (70%) croit par ailleurs que le Bloc québécois devrait se contenter d'appuyer ponctuellement le gouvernement de coalition, notamment dans les votes de confiance. Même les Québécois qui voteraient pour le Bloc si des élections avaient lieu maintenant (36% après répartition des indécis) appuient cette option dans une proportion de 86%.

Translated, the findings are that 70% of respondents and 86% of Bloc voters want to see the Bloc support a coalition government on confidence votes. Which should significantly rein any any reason for concern that a coalition would be unstable from the Bloc standpoint - or that Duceppe be in a position to make unreasonable demands as the price of his party's support.

Of course, the situation could easily enough change with time - and we can count on the Cons doing their utmost to try to make that happen. But for now, it looks like Bloc supporters have bought into the line from the past election that the party's main role is defined by disagreement with Harper's right-wing vision. And they seem to be in agreement with progressives across the country that the effort is one worth following through on.