PQ Leader/Quebec's New PM Pauline Marois: "...I wouldn't trust her to run a lemonade stand."

By Keith Edmund White

Has the PQ's much smaller-than-expected victory Tuesday ushered in the year of the PQ-CAQ?  

Thank you Yahoo!News Canada for this fantastic take on the just how long the PQ will hang onto their minority government:

Gerry Nicholls: Well, when it comes to Marois' management skills, I wouldn't trust her to run a lemonade stand. Next election will be in the Fall of 2013.

Bruce Hicks: If Marois governs judiciously, she could govern for two years before she might herself decide to go to the polls and try to get a majority. If she tries to do many things without trying to get the support of MNAs outside her party she will probably be brought down by the opposition in 12-18 months.

Gerry Nicholls and Bruce Hicks are both political scientists, and part of Yahoo!News Canada's expert panel on politics.  Conservative commentator Nicholls, self-professed as one of Canada's Top Five Political Minds, hails from Southern Ontario, and offers this fantastically written blog.

Bruce Hicks, who is now a Visiting Scholar at Carlton University, offers the more measured take on the PQ's chances.  Hicks boasts a career in political strategy, journalism, and--most relevant to boviations on Quebec politics--he was an Associate at Montreal University's Canada Research Chair in Electoral Studies (CRCES).  You can find more of his work here.

Beyond the doubts in Marois' management skills, perhaps supported by the PQ coming dangerously close to blowing a sizable lead in the polls last week, Hicks brings up a crucial point:  how is the PQ going to govern, since it will need votes from either the Liberals or right-leaning CAQ?  Well, time will tell, but the CAQ--a conservative coalition party that puts right-leaning reforms ahead of independence issues--seems ready to work with the PQ.

While the PQ and Liberals are ideologically more in sync, the ever-so slim defeat for the Liberals coupled with the CAQ's likely desire to build off their somewhat disappointing third place finish, may lead to a tepid PQ-CAQ partnership.

Note:  It would be remiss to omit a reference to the tragic shooting at the PQ's post-election celebration on Tuesday, which resulted in one death, one critical injury, and a third person's treatment for shock.