(Drummondville) The Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) wants to give the province a “liberal constitution,” interim leader Marc Tanguay summarized on Saturday. According to him, a “super law” of this kind would protect Quebec from “bad PQ-CAQ decisions,” he said in reference to the tuition fees that the Legault government wants to double for foreign students or other provinces studying English. speaking universities.
Updated yesterday at 4:18 p.m.
“We are not going to propose a PQ-CAQ constitution, it is a liberal constitution,” Mr Tanguay said on the sidelines of the PLQ General Council in Drummondville. Nearly 400 Liberal activists are debating this weekend the relaunch of the party, which will confirm the rules for its next leadership race this Sunday to elect a new leader in spring 2025.
Earlier this week, the Advisory and Reflective Committee to Revitalize the PLQ, co-chaired by MP Madwa-Nika Cadet and former Senator André Pratte, put forward a series of proposals, including the proposal to give Quebec a constitution that would be “on”. an essential basis for ensuring Quebec’s cultural and linguistic vitality and its political weight.”
This fundamental document would have the effect of confirming “the existence of Quebec as a nation within the Canadian federation, the status of French as an official and common language, the fundamental rights and freedoms of Quebecers and the contribution of cultural communities,” the committee said. It would also affirm the existing rights of the English-speaking community to education and health services in English and to control their institutions.
For Marc Tanguay, “a constitution with a liberal flavor is a constitution that does not divide Quebecers.” [et] which will not deprive certain groups of Quebecers of their rights,” he said.
“It would perhaps help us reduce the impact that poor PQ-CAQ decisions could have,” the interim leader added. Mr. Tanguay did not explain how he would win over citizens who support the policies of other political parties to his constitutional proposal.
For the party’s parliamentary group leader, Monsef Derraji, it is a “golden opportunity to gather everyone, regardless of whether we speak French, speak English or are allophones, whether we just arrived a week ago or four hundred years ago.”
An “attack” on English speakers
The Legault government’s announcement earlier this week that it would double tuition fees for foreign students or students from other Canadian provinces attending an English-speaking university is stirring excitement among the Liberals.
“Obviously, François Legault, we see his PQ side coming out. […] He is a PQ who loves to divide, who based his political career and his election on dividing Quebecers,” thundered leader Marc Tanguay.
A few minutes earlier, activist Antoine Dionne Charest, a member of the recovery committee, insisted that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government was causing “irreparable” damage to Quebec institutions such as English-language universities.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Liberal activist Antoine Dionne Charest
“It looks like a separatist government,” he said. According to him, doubling the tuition fees of certain students at English-speaking universities is “a frontal attack” against English-speaking Quebecers. Mr. Dionne Charest calls on them to go “on the offensive.” He does not rule out running for the post of MP in the next parliamentary elections in 2026.
“We are causing irreparable damage to Quebec’s institutions. […] We can do much better than the CAQ, without stigmatizing certain Quebecers and without unduly restricting Quebecers’ freedoms. We can do much better,” he said.
The restart, then the race
For Mr. Dionne Charest, the party’s recovery committee is laying the groundwork for the next leadership race. “You can’t ask a chef to start without putting water in the pool. […] Today we have just laid the foundation for the reconstruction of the party,” he said. The next Liberal leader will not be forced to respect the proposals set out in the report.
The only person who has expressed interest in the race so far is MP Frédéric Beauchemin. The latter was expelled from the Liberal group in recent days as part of an investigation into a bullying complaint lodged against him and his team of activists by Élyse Moisan, president of the party’s Youth Commission and researcher.
The elected official for the Marguerite-Bourgeoys constituency was still present in Drummondville on Saturday.
Should he stay at home and avoid attending the party’s general council if the person who lodged a complaint against him with the party and the official opposition politician should be present at the event? “Democracy ensures that we have the right to be present,” he replied.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
MP Frédéric Beauchemin
“There is a mediation process. Mediation is underway. Everything will be fine and everyone will emerge from this process as a winner,” said Mr. Beauchemin, surrounded by his supporters.
This Sunday the Liberal Party will confirm the rules for its next leadership race. Mr Beauchemin, who was in favor of a hasty election campaign, will not see his wishes fulfilled. Instead, the Liberals will run a race that culminates in the election of a leader in the spring of 2025. Candidates must make a $40,000 deposit and their campaign spending will be capped at $400,000.
With the Canadian Press