French Kiss: Stephen Harper's Blind Date with Quebec - Tapa blanda

"[Hébert is] an unusually talented political observer. . . . Many political books enlighten and entertain by exploring how personalities shape politics and public policy. That's too modest a challenge for Hébert. . . . her sharpest focus is on ideas that become trends and then patterns. . . . Hébert's work is salted with answers as well as layers of insights."
-Toronto Star

"Known as a straight shooter. . . [Hébert writes with] sprinkles of clever turns of phrase."
-Calgary Herald

"I hope there is another book. It should start with The strengths of this one solid information, historical perspective, careful analysis, clear thinking."
-The Gazette (Montreal)

"Canadians will be greatly aided by the new book by Chantal Hébert . . . who may be the country's most consistently insightful analyst of federal politics, especially as it plays in Quebec. Anyone in Canada who cares about politics will find French Kiss a rewarding read."
-Maclean's

"Hébert makes several astute observations. . . . Gratifying."
-The Vancouver Sun

Chantal Hébert’s first book is both a post-mortem of the Canadian federation that died on January 23, 2006, the night of the last federal election, as well as a brilliant examination of our changing political future, one that involves living with Quebec rather than just wooing it.

On that night, award-winning political writer and broadcaster Chantal Hébert stood in a Calgary convention hall with 2,000 Alberta Conservatives, who were raucously cheering the election of ten Tory MPs from Quebec. The Conservatives would not have gotten their man in office without Quebec, and now the future success of the Harper government hinges on turning this one-night stand into a long-term relationship.

More than ten years ago, the Quebec-Alberta coalition cobbled together by Brian Mulroney dissolved, leading to the births of the Bloc Québecois and the Reform Party. As a result, Alberta and Quebec took their marbles out of federal play, and Ontario got to run Canada.

Have we now come full circle? By the time this book is published, the Liberal Party of Canada may have morphed into the Liberal Party of Ontario (or Toronto). And the Canadian Left will have chosen a camp in preparation for a decisive federal election battle.

Provocative and always worth listening to, Chantal Hébert is at her savvy and insightful best in French Kiss. No Canadian can be truly informed on the subject of Canadian politics without the benefit of her non-partisan commentary.
From the Hardcover edition.