Prime Minister Stephen Harper threw a bone to soft nationalists in the Saguenay Tuesday night, saying that, from now on, the federal government will be required to alternate between anglophone and francophone chairpersons of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

Great. Just one thing about that: Since Pierre Juneau was appointed to be the first CRTC chairman in 1968, every government has, in fact, alternated between francophone and anglophone chairs except for one: Stephen Harper.

When Harper appointed Konrad von Finckenstein in 2007 to succeed Charles Dalfen, he became the first prime minister to appoint a chair from English Canada to succeed a chair from English Canada. Von Finckenstein, it might be noted, was born in Germany and speaks four languages but, still, he's not a Quebecer, a Franco-Manitoba, a Franco-News Brunswicker or otherwise a member of what we would call traditional French Canada.

In any event, Harper was applauded by about 200 supporters for his decision to pass a regulation to prevent himself from doing what no other prime minister has done.

Also:  Harper will now require that one of the two vice-chairs is from French Canada. Check that, already done and has for a while.

Also: Harper will require that 25 per cent of the 13 commissioners are from French Canada. Check that. Already done. (Four of 13 are from French Canada).

Now that's keepin' yer promises!