After falling when he was less in the media, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois is preparing for his forthcoming return to Parliament by tackling the issue of reviving Québec Solidaire (QS) head-on. If he fails to establish himself as an alternative to the government of François Legault, the parliamentary leader of the party will be self-critical.
Posted at 5:00 am
In an interview with La Presse at Café Paquebot, in the heart of the La Petite-Patrie neighborhood where he lives in Montreal, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois takes an honest look at the results of his political training, which has received popular support between the 2018 and 2018 elections decreased from 16.1% to 15.4% in 2022.
“Personally, I think I have the image of someone who doesn’t question themselves, but sometimes the images are very far from reality. In autumn I was less present because I was engaged in reflection and self-criticism. I’m putting a lot of pressure on myself,” he said, pounding that he was “not taking the October 3 results lightly.”
On February 11th and 12th, the members of the party will also meet in a National Council to take stock of the last election spurt. Despite using significant resources to carry out the most important campaign in the party’s history, the Solidaires have only two new MPs in Quebec: Haroun Bouazzi and Alejandra Zaga Mendez, both in Montreal. The defeat of Émilise Lessard-Therrien in Abitibi-Témiscamingue shakes her up again.
One thing I hear a lot is that one day it will be your turn. As if people thought I had potential, that they appreciated the work of QS in opposition but were still reluctant to vote for us.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, Speaker of Quebec Solidaire Parliament
“I invite the members of the party to this reflection during our National Council. How to show that we are not only good at chasing François Legault, but that we are ready to replace him,” he continues.
Focus on the regions
The first project he wants to tackle is a conquest of the regions. QS has had some good results in urban centers outside of Montreal and Quebec City, but the party still can’t get a foothold in rural areas, says Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
“I spent the holidays with my family at Thetford Mines and went to Tim Hortons en masse. I felt respect for the work Québec solidaire is doing. But between respect and trust that we are capable of governing, there is a step to be taken. We still have things to prove,” he said.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, Speaker of Quebec Solidaire Parliament
Solidaires must continue to challenge young voters, a segment of the electorate already inclined to listen to their ideas, but they must also be more interested than ever in the issues affecting other generations, says Mr Nadeau-Dubois.
“I had given myself a personal mission to create an alliance between the generations, but I didn’t succeed. For me, this is essential for Québec solidaire. If we’re going to move forward, if we’re going to govern Quebec, we need to connect with other voters, [en plus des] young people,” he continued.
Get rid of “orange taxes”
More than three months after the Coalition avenir Québec’s landslide victory, the QS parliamentary leader looks back on an episode that marked the last election campaign: the “orange tax” label that François Legault stuck on him when he struggled to explain it its economic platform.
The more complicated a position, the easier it is to attack. Several of our economic and fiscal proposals were overly complex. It has served us. I accept my share of the responsibility for this, especially since we were facing an opponent whose proposals were extraordinarily simple.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, Speaker of Quebec Solidaire Parliament
QS’s proposal to tax the “ultra-rich” more heavily, meaning Quebecers with net worth of more than $1 million, caused a stir last fall.
“What I want to say to these people is that we heard them. We’ll do the work we have to do. We will come back in 2026 with new proposals, “he said, specifying that the next promises of solidarity will always be aimed at greater redistribution of wealth.
by-election
For the next parliamentary session, which begins January 31 in Quebec, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois promises to put his team first. He will be actively working behind the scenes to organize the next by-elections in the leadership of Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne in Montreal, whose seat has been vacant since former Liberal leader Dominique Anglade resigned.
“I don’t want Québec Solidaire to cap, but yeah that’s the risk right now. The risk of the ceiling, I see it, and I don’t want it to happen,” he says.
“Strictness and relevance don’t always kill headlines in the short term, but over time they appear and lay the foundation for the credibility we need at Québec solidaire. For me it will be one of my priorities this winter,” he concludes.