[HopeydaFish]

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I once heard from a Canadian acquaintance (a pastor from British Columbia - who I don't believe is a leftist) that one of the worst things you can call a Canadian is an American.

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This might be true when Canadians are travelling. Americans are not looked upon favourably in many parts of the world. Most Canadians wouldn't want to be mistaken for an American for that reason -- whatever their personal feelings towards Americans may be.

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On a note more related to the thread, one thing I'm still fuzzy on (and perhaps someone will be able to shed some light on this for me) - how would the Conservatives and the Bloc manage to form a stable alliance, given their philosophical and ideological differences (and from what I know, a blanket unwillingness on behalf of the Bloc to participate in any federal government)? Are the Conservatives substantially more sympathetic to Quebec sovereignty than the Liberals? Do the Conservatives have a specific Quebec policy (that the Bloc might somehow find tolerable) - and more generally, do the Conservatives favor 'weaker' federalism/federalist policies than the other Federal Parties do?

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You've basically deduced the answer to your question on your own. Much of the Conservatives' platform is similar to the Bloc's. Both parties believe in a more decentralized government which gives more power to the provinces. The Liberals have traditionally been a party which believes in a strong federal government -- which runs contrary to the Bloc's beliefs. The Bloc should be willing to work with the Conservatives if it means more power for Quebec because, short of separation, this is the only way that the Bloc will achieve its goals.