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What does a minority PQ government mean for Quebec and the rest of Canada?

Pauline Marois and her Parti Quebecois got what they wanted Tuesday night — they won the Quebec election and will form that province's next government.

Unfortunately for Marois, she only achieved a minority, putting at risk her party's controversial policy proposals such as tougher language laws, a secular charter and sovereignty.

What does a minority for the PQ mean for Quebec and the rest of Canada?

We went to our expert panel — political scientist Bruce Hicks from inside Quebec and political analyst Gerry Nicholls from outside the province — to find out.

[ Related: Federal leaders weigh-in on Quebec election results ]

Q: Does a minority government mean that the sovereinty movement is dead or at least on hold?

Gerry Nicholls: Marois's minority status won't impair her most important power: the ability to irritate English Canada. And, minority or no minority, that's what she will do.

Indeed, her minority situation means she will likely pursue Quebec nationalism more aggressively. I am not saying she will hold a referendum, but she will stridently pester Ottawa for more power in order to churn up nationalist sentiment in Quebec and put the Opposition Parties on the defensive.

So, no. The movement isn't dead.

Bruce Hicks: There is no public support for sovereignty. Two-thirds of Quebeckers tell pollsters that they are opposed to holding a referendum and that if a referendum were held they would vote no.

The Marois government will try to shift those numbers by picking fights over jurisdiction, powers and money with the federal government.

[But] the fact that her margin over the Liberals is so narrow (only four seats) weakens her ability to make demands from Ottawa as it lacks any sort of mandate.

[ Related: Another hit to the Liberal brand as Quebec Liberals ousted from office ]

Q: Will the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) 'play ball' with the PQ on issues such as tougher language laws and a secular charter?

Gerry Nicholls: With no real track record, it's tough to speculate about the CAQ.

I suspect, however, they will support the PQ on cultural issues and oppose their nuttier socialist schemes. They will need to worry about the Liberals just as much as the PQ.

Bruce Hicks: It is not clear what policies CAQ might support at this stage. It campaigned on language and cultural issues. But it ran against the PQ platform.

My sense is that these controversial party platform ideas will not be possible in a minority legislature.

Marois also has to be careful pushing controversial issues because it is within the Liberal and CAQ [reach] to form a coalition government. The parties have much in common. And together they have a majority of seats in the legislature.

Q: When is the next election going to be? How long will this minority government last?

Gerry Nicholls: Well, when it comes to Marois' management skills, I wouldn't trust her to run a lemonade stand. Next election will be in the Fall of 2013.

Bruce Hicks: If Marois governs judiciously, she could govern for two years before she might herself decide to go to the polls and try to get a majority. If she tries to do many things without trying to get the support of MNAs outside her party she will probably be brought down by the opposition in 12-18 months.