Photo: Jacques Boissinot The Canadian Press The left-wing party took stock of a parliamentary session marked by the departure of Émilise Lessard-Therrien.
Far from being “serene”, the last six months of politics have yielded concrete results for Québec solidaire (QS), affirm the spokespersons for the left-wing political party: first and foremost, adoption by the National Assembly of a law imposing a moratorium on evictions and further protecting elderly tenants.
Six months ago almost to the day, when taking stock of the fall parliamentary session, the solidarity parliamentary leader, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, was delighted to have emerged “stronger” from a period eventful with the arrival at his side of Émilise Lessard-Therrien. Five months later, the co-spokeswoman of the left-wing political party, chosen in November, slammed the door resoundingly, citing her inability to change things at QS.
< p> “We have experienced a moment in the last few weeks where… we had to question certain ways in which we operate at Québec solidaire,” agreed the woman who has until now acted as interim spokesperson. female voice, Christine Labrie, in a summary press conference, Friday, at the Parliament building.
Called to express his wishes for the coming months, Mr. Nadeau -Dubois — whom Ms. Lessard-Therrien's departure message specifically mentioned and who had to endure harsh criticism from former solidarity MP Catherine Dorion in October — did not hide either.
“Of course we want a more… more serene and calmer next session on an internal level. I think it’s just honest to emphasize it,” he told the parliamentary press.
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“Gain” on housing
However, despite the internal tremors at Québec solidaire, “the results are there,” rejoiced the MP for Gouin. Like his colleague Labrie, he repeatedly recalled on Friday the adoption of Bill 65, which puts in place a moratorium on evictions which could last three years in addition to broadening the protection of vulnerable senior tenants in Quebec .
“We have, this session, at Québec solidaire, done what very few political parties, in opposition, have been capable of doing in the recent years in Quebec: convince the government to take up in full some of our proposals in a bill,” he said.
The elected representative expressed solidarity in fact few polls, in which his political party stagnates, month after month. Two years before the elections, it accepts its status as an opposition party for the moment.
“At the start of the session, we had some good polls, there were some not so good ones, there were some average ones. Today, what I remember is that, despite these variations, which are real, we stand before you saying: we have improved the lives of tens of thousands of seniors and then hundreds of thousands of tenants,” said Mr. Nadeau-Dubois.
“Work to be done”
The solidaire co-spokesperson agrees: there remains “work to do for Québec solidaire to take the next step” to become a “government party”. A first project was completed two weeks ago, with the adoption of the Saguenay Declaration, according to him. The reform of the statutes and the program will come in the coming years.
“The elections are more than two years away. It is well known that there are ongoing discussions at Québec solidaire on how to move to the next stage. But today, we are doing a parliamentary assessment exercise. We are satisfied with the gains we have delivered for Quebec,” said Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, who also continues to work “on himself,” as he had already said.
“I want to have the place that the members of my party and my team want me to have. I don't want to take a place that doesn't belong to me or a place that isn't wanted,” he added.
In a vote for reappointed as spokesperson in November, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois received the support of 90% of activists in what had all the makings of a vote of confidence.