No Love For Dion In Quebec

From The Montreal Gazette:

Quebecers have traditionally favoured their native sons in federal politics. At least up to now, up to Stéphane Dion.

In the past, all who rose to the leadership of parties with serious power prospects became prime minister thanks in large part to critical down-home support. The lineage runs unbroken from Wilfrid Laurier to Louis St. Laurent to Pierre Trudeau to Brian Mulroney to Jean Chrétien.

But for the first time, homeboy advantage isn't working for for a federal leader in Quebec - and a Liberal leader at that.

"Historically, being from this province gets you a vote bump of between 10 and 15 per cent, and so far he's not been getting it," said Université de Montréal electoral analyst Bruce Hicks.

In polls this year, Dion has ranked as the least popular of the big four federal leaders among Quebec voters and the last one they'd want as prime minister.

Liberal support is mired near the 20-percent vote they got in the province last election and which gave them 11 seats, a count they'd have to at least double to form a government.

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