Accommodation: the vegetarian threat

In the recent Quebec election campaign, one of the recurring themes was how much Quebec should accommodate its immigrants. Would Muslims and Jews ruin the great Quebec tradition of the cabane à sucre by asking sugar shack owners to bake beans without pork?

As a March 20, 2007 CP story by Les Perreaux put it:

The tabloid Journal de Montreal dedicated yesterday's front page to an expose of a pair of sugar shacks south of Montreal that took efforts to allow Muslims to enjoy the annual spring maple syrup tradition known as sugaring off.

The fatty feast of beans, pea soup, pancakes and massive doses of maple syrup usually includes pounds of pork, something forbidden from the diet of devout Muslims.

One sugar shack removed pork from some food to meet dietary requirements under Islam.

Another shack paused entertainment recently to allow about 20 Muslims to pray on the empty dance floor.

"Pea soup without ham," said one headline in Le Journal. "Our traditions must be respected," said another.

Well, never mind the Muslims. What about the vegetarians?

On more than one occasion we've been to André and Annette Godard's cabane à sucre. For years, they have regularly accommodated visits from groups of vegetarians, serving up baked beans with tofu, and, yes, pea soup without ham. The first time I visited the Godards was when Sara worked at a health food store, and the staff organized a trip there.

That first visit was nearly 20 years ago, and somehow Quebec culture has continued to thrive til now. And the Godards? They're not some kind of hippie idealists. Just solid, old-fashioned farmers. I heard Mr. Godard say that he wasn't doing organic farming because it's trendy. He was doing it because it's the way everyone used to farm and the way he grew up farming.

Huh?

André Boisclair leads the PQ to a disastrous showing. In the days before the election, various polls and seat projections had the party in the 40s or low 50s in terms of seats.

The PQ came third, with 36 seats.

The Globe and Mail's take on Boisclair?

After a slow start, his campaign picked up steam and, in the end, he surpassed all expectations.

Where's the smackdown?

I enjoy a good dust-up (as long as I'm not part of it). So when Paul Wells suggested that Andy Riga couldn't read poll numbers, I rubbed my hands. Surely a spirited response from Andy would ensue.

Well, I guess Andy was too busy actually covering the election. And he's a nice guy to boot. So instead of ripping into Wells, he shows the numbers and leaves the decision-making up to the readers.

And Wells? His response is to note that "Andy Riga responds."

Neither one should audition for a role on the Howard Stern show any time soon. I'm one to talk. I probably would have worked an apology in there somewhere.