Peladeau kicks Sun TV to the curb

By Montreal Simon

Well it wasn’t a total surprise, but it was still a stunning sight.

Pauline Marois and her new star candidate Pierre-Karl Péladeau.

Pierre-Karl Péladeau, controlling shareholder of the Quebecor media empire, on Sunday announced he will run for the Parti Québécois, saying his top motivation is to make Quebec independent.

“My joining the Parti Québécois is tied to my most intimate and profound values and that is to say I want Quebec to become a country,” he told supporters in the riding of St-Jérôme, just north of Montreal, where he will be running in the April 7 provincial election.

And of course in Quebec it is a huge story, because Péladeau controls just about every media outlet in the province.

And although he has resigned as CEO of Quebecor, his beaten down employees know he’s still Le Boss, and will be sure to give him the massive favourable coverage he expects.

Which if the PQ wins a majority, which isn’t assured, and it does get enough support to hold a referendum, which it doesn’t have now, could be a mighty weapon one day in the hands of the separatists.

Especially if Péladeau manages to convince other members of the province’s business class to join his campaign to become the first President of an independent Quebec.

Because trust me, with his ego, that’s the ONLY reason he’s running.

But in the meantime, it leaves his Sun TV News operation, which he created for the sole purpose of destroying the CBC, twisting in the wind, or in the mouth of the lion.

Among the many important and troubling aspects of his candidacy there is this, somewhat down the list; he has thrown Sun News Network, the TV channel he founded and the most stridently patriotic of organs, under a bus.

Likewise the Sun papers, and the former Osprey titles he acquired in 2007, many of them small-city Ontario newspapers that have served their communities loyally since the 19th Century.

Good luck to them all now, as they craft their national unity editorials, secure in the knowledge that their major shareholder has pledged all of his considerable intellect, energy and passion to the breakup of the country.

Which has Quebecor management so alarmed they’re trotting out Brian Mulroney to try to clear the record.

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who is vice chairman of the Quebecor board of directors, told QMI Agency that “the company now has a complete segregation between Mr. Peladeau and his political interests and the shareholders of Quebecor. We are 100% devoted to the interests of our shareholders and nothing else. He has moved on, we wish him well in his life and here we are running Quebecor.

Good luck.

And no doubt the shabby gang at Fox News North preparing to shake-up their programming . . .

Although since they both share the twisted aims of the PQ’s Charter of Values that shouldn’t be too difficult.

And certainly after the ascension of Péladeau NOBODY can call the PQ left-wing.

The Quebec Federation of Labour was “stunned” by Mr. Péladeau’s decision, according to a statement Sunday afternoon, adding he “is probably one of the worst employers Quebec has ever known. In terms of labour relations, Péladeau has been a catastrophe for workers.”

But it also leaves Stephen Harper in an even MORE embarrassing position. If that’s possible eh?

Having to explain why he’s massively subsidizing a separatist organization.

The CBC is fighting back against Quebecor’s attacks on its $1-billion in annual federal funding, accusing the private broadcaster of receiving $500-million in public subsidies over the last three years without being accountable to taxpayers.

With OUR money !@#!!!!!

Or trying to explain why Canadians should trust him to lead the country through a national unity crisis.

When him and his Cons are kissing the fishy Sun News separatists . . .

Yup. The Battle for Quebec just became more interesting.

And King Harper could be the big LOSER . . .