Spencer Colby The Canadian Press The co-spokesperson for Québec Solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, delivered a speech to solidarity activists in Gatineau on Saturday.
“Bumped” by the 2022 electoral results and internal criticism, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois almost gave up his place as co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire to someone else, he said. -he revealed on Saturday, at the dawn of a vote on his leadership.
In congress almost two weeks after the publication of the book Les têtes brûlésof the former solidarity MP Catherine Dorion, the leader of QS admitted having difficulty accepting the criticisms which recently emerged “from within” his party.
“In politics, we are always made criticized in the media, by our adversaries. It's part of the game, and over time you develop a tough rind. There are also criticisms that come from within, and these are the ones that penetrate,” he said in a speech to solidarity activists in Gatineau.
In her book, Ms. Dorion, who worked alongside Mr. Nadeau-Dubois for four years in the solidarity caucus, accuses him of having engaged, as solidarity co-spokesperson, in “emotional pressure and [in] power negotiations.”
Last week, the main person admitted that he still had several things to “learn”, but he did not hide it: “It was difficult for me, the publication of this book and the debates it provoked,” he said at a press conference on Saturday noon.
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If he “asked questions” about his leadership style this fall, the member for Gouin had already started thinking about it for a while. More precisely, from the 2022 elections, at the end of which his party remained at around 15% of the vote.
“My name is Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, I have a daughter of a year and a half, I really like hockey and I live in La Petite-Patrie. If I start like that, it's because I thought in the last year that it might be okay for me to be just that. That maybe it was enough like that,” said Mr. Nadeau-Dubois on Saturday, under the watchful gaze of his daughter, who was repeating “papa, papa” from the back of the room.
The 33-year-old elected official said he went for a “long walk” after receiving the 2022 result – “it was autumn, so not yet in the snow”. “I seriously asked myself: Is it the right thing for my party for me to stay in office? “, he agreed.
He stays for the “project”
At a press conference, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois admitted to having lacked “listening” at times since his accession to the position of spokesperson in 2017. He would also have liked to be more transparent with solidarity activists after the election. ” I've been disappointed. I was sad. And I think I haven’t told you enough,” he argued in front of a supportive delegation of several hundred people.
If he finally chose to stay, it is because he still believes in the “project” of his political party.
“I believed that by being spokesperson for Québec solidaire, I could participate in our party taking a further step, seizing an opportunity, so that we could benefit together from an open political window,” he said. -he argued in front of the activists. This window did not close. »
Mr. Nadeau-Dubois will be the only candidate for the position of male co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire this weekend. As party delegates have the right to vote for the chair, the ballot has all the makings of a vote of confidence. “If I am before you today, it is because I believe, in my heart, that we have this responsibility: we must, we can become this alternative” to the government, he said. p>
This “alternative” must respond to the “economic emergency”, according to Mr. Nadeau-Dubois. Solidarity activists also adopted proposals on Saturday to raise the minimum wage to 20 dollars an hour in 2024 and to eliminate the QST on used products and repair services.
Some delegates proposed that used energy-guzzling vehicles should still be taxed. Their proposed amendment was defeated. “I think that the members of Québec solidaire have made a great demonstration of pragmatism by recognizing that there are workers who have vehicles that are starting to get old and that repairing them is expensive,” said -he said.
During the election campaign last year, Québec solidaire promised to impose a surcharge on the purchase of gasoline vehicles. This proposal had generated several attacks from, among others, the CAQ leader, François Legault.
Since then, however, the party leadership has admitted that this commitment would undoubtedly have to be rethought. “Today’s amendment, in this sense, is not surprising,” argued Mr. Nadeau-Dubois on Saturday.
Delegates will have until Sunday to cast their vote for the two QS spokesperson positions. Three candidates presented themselves to succeed Manon Massé as female spokesperson for the left party.
New step in the parity issue at QS
To correct the imbalance between men and women in its caucus, Québec solidaire (QS) will temporarily prevent men from running in by-elections.
Gathered at a convention in Gatineau on Saturday, party delegates overwhelmingly supported a proposal in this direction, which will only be re-evaluated when the statutes are revised next year. Only women and non-binary people will be able to try their chances in complementary ballots.
This decision comes some time after the members of QS in the riding of Jean-Talon had given their vote to a man Olivier Bolduc, in the race for the party nomination. Professor Christine Gilbert ran against him, but was not elected, even though the party had strongly encouraged activists to support her.
The solidarity caucus has eight men and four women. In February, party activists had demanded that the party choose female candidates for the “contestable” elections. “Principles are not just good when things are not going well,” said party activist Marie-Ève Mathieu.
To activists who wanted to reduce the scope of the proposal by strongly encouraging female candidates, another activist, Maïka Sondarjee, joked that “we will not destroy the patriarchy with suggestions.”
François Carabin