SNC-Lavalin is a symbol of Quebec success and might on the world stage, and Trudeau stood up for it.

This has been a long time coming. For over a decade, Quebec's political class has been particularly adept at exploiting Quebecers' understandable fear of assimilation for electoral gain.

During last years election campaign, Franois Legault was the lone provincial leader to declare himself open to the idea of pipeline development in Quebec. Yet as premier, he has called oil dirty energy and slammed the door on more pipelines through the province.