John Ibbitson's Imaginary(?) Foes of Tolerance

In reading all the Quebec election fallout I came across John Ibbitson's column (subscription required) on prejudice in Canada. His opening words are thus:

"If there's one thing that yesterday's Quebec election proved, it's that intolerance remains a force in Canadian politics. To their everlasting disgrace, too many urban intellectuals have chosen to reinforce it."

Okay, yes, intolerance has always been a political force, and yes Ibbitson is right to suggest that it played a role for Mario Dumont. The other part of his column is a bit more confusing. Who are these "urban intellectuals" anyway? What are they doing? He cites elsewhere in the article unnamed "feminists" who might oppose Muslim women in traditional dress. He is unable or unwilling to name any specific organizations or individuals. Instead he puts up this incredibly weak suggestion that "too many" of these "urban intellectuals" reinforce rural intolerance. Who, John? And how?

This is the sort of thing that fits with the worst stereotypes of urban-dwellers. We don't sit around figuring out what values to reinforce among country-folk. We're in Toronto - we're too busy being self-absorbed, remember?

Quebec

I won't be up late enough to see the bitter end of the Quebec election (I have to be up early tomorrow). Is anyone else going to call it before the polls close tonight?

In the end the big winner in this election may well be the rest of Canada. It seems as though Quebec may be standing down from the idea of eternal referendums.