There's a new leaf under the maple leaf this week.
Quebec voters tossed out their separatist government with a vengeance at the ballot box Tuesday.
The final tally: The Liberals won 76 seats in Quebec's 125-seat Legislature, the Parti-Quebecois 45 and the Action Democratique du Quebec ended up with just four seats.
Liberal Premier-Elect Jean Charest plans to show Quebecers that staying part of Canada can work for them.
"When a new government comes in after nine years of another government, it is a tall order," he says. "We have a lot of work ahead."
Job one: Making good on his promises.
Among them -- working with the federal government to transfer more taxing powers to Quebec.
That won't necessarily mean higher taxes, but would show Charest, 45, is energetic and can get stuff done with his Liberal cousins in power in Ottawa.
"We will demonstrate that this federation can work more effectively," he vowed, keen to make a good impression. "My approach will be different than any other premier in the past."
Charest is already busy planning what to do, but he won't be sworn in as premier until April 29.
Outgoing Premier Bernard Landry, meanwhile, is under intense pressure from within the Parti-Quebecois caucus to resign because he lost the election.
The 66-year old politician has not yet said whether he plans to step down, but growing tension between squabbling Cabinet ministers about to lose their posts may force him to.
The party leader known as "Super Mario" isn't going anywhere, though.
Mario Dumont, founder of the upstart Action Democratique du Quebec, says he's disappointed by the ADQ's poor showing just months after it topped public opinion polls.
Dumont is only 32 and many Quebecers think he'll be premier -- one day.
Speaking of leaders, the race to replace Prime Minister Jean Chretien is getting nasty.
It's been a polite, friendly affair among three big-name Liberals so far.
That changed when Heritage Minister Sheila Copps called Deputy Prime Minister John Manley an "old boy" this week.
Sure, it's not offensive enough to warrant a beep on television.
But it's a sure sign the backroom name-calling is going public as November's leadership convention draws near.
So what did Manley do to deserve just a tongue-lashing?
He discounted his opponent by saying: "I think it's great that Sheila's in it, but I don't think anyone seriously considers her a contender for the job of prime minister."
Copps took that to mean a woman can't be prime minister, but she has been called worse by her opponents.
One Conservative Cabinet minister called her "Tequila Sheila" and "baby."
Copps admits she, too, sometimes "leads from the lip."
Chretien is probably feeling a little miffed himself these days.
He's been dissed again by the White House for his stance against the U.S. war with Iraq.
President George W. Bush has scrubbed his planned May 5 state visit to Ottawa in favor, it seems, of inviting Australian Prime Minister John Howard to his Texas ranch on May 2 and 3.
Howard fully supported U.S. plans to rid Iraq of Saddam Hussein's regime and even committed Australian troops to help the cause.
Chretien's office, hoping to reschedule the state visit, reportedly offered the White House three dates next fall, but they were all rejected.
White House insiders leave the distinct impression Bush won't be heading north of the border until Chretien has retired and been replaced.
That won't happen until February 2004.
Chretien doesn't seem bothered by the presidential snub, though.
He can always hang out with the man who previously occupied the Oval Office -- just like he did this week.
Chretien got together with golfing buddy Bill Clinton in the Dominican Republic for a round of golf.
There were no reporters present, so we're not sure how well they scored.
