Subtle Bigotry in Canada?

The past few weeks of furor over the sponsorship scandal has seen an almost reflexive re-emergence of anti-Quebec bigotry. I have to question much of the press coverage, particularly overemphasis on the scandal having taken place in Quebec. There are plenty of other money payouts, and shady dealings across Canada; such as the membership scandal involving the federal Liberals in British Columbia; and the new hints of a Tory payoff scandal in Ontario. But I have yet to hear the press characterize either scandal as something endemic to the politics of British Columbians or Ontarians.

The sponsorship program in Quebec was simply used as a vehicle for payouts to federal Liberal cronies. The fact that the sponsorship program was used to promote Canada in Quebec is beside the point. What is important? The loose purse strings given to the program should receive some attention. Jean Chretien should have had a more organized policy in place to deal with the questions surrounding Quebec's place in Canada, instead of panicking and throwing money at the problem after a close referendum. But what is most important is the culture of corruption that appears to have been fostered in the federal Liberal party. The mistakes were made by the federal Liberals, not by French Canadian Quebecers. The sponsorship scandal is something Quebecers are pissed about too. According the article (linked in this paragraph) Quebec is well ahead of the rest of the nation in separating corporate interests from those of government:

"In Quebec, the activities of professional lobbyists are closely monitored. Corporations have not been allowed to contribute to political parties since 1977, thanks to a law passed by the Parti Québécois government of René Lévesque, an example that Jean Chrétien followed belatedly this past autumn. "

From my point of view that would indicate an attention to ethics in Quebec that the rest of Canada apparently doesn't share. Who looks bad now?