Canada: The austerity of the Parti Québécois and the tasks of Quebec solidaire

For a period of several months last summer, a mass movement shook the province of Quebec. It forced an election where the victorious Parti Québécois felt compelled to present themselves as being on the left — proposing to cancel the tuition increase, abolishing the hated law 78, as well as other progressive measures. In its first budget since the election, the Marois government went back on many of its promises made during the election campaign. Faced with the hypocrisy of the PQ who had put themselves forward as “the progressive option”, the possibility to form a party that can represent the interests of workers and youth is more important than ever before. For the left-wing party, Quebec solidaire, the potential for success is greater than it has ever been. But, how can Quebec solidaire take advantage of the present situation and build a real alternative for the workers who search for a way to combat the austerity being forced upon them?

The PQ’s budget is not just a step back from their election promises; it also marks the lowest increase in social expenditure in 14 years (which coincides with the last time that the PQ was in power).  The PQ further showed its pro-business face when PQ premier Pauline Marois visited New York back in December.  There, she spoke to approximately 300 business people who had paid over $150-per-plate to attend the meeting. The goal of this corporate conference was to attract investment to the province. Marois particularly underlined the PQ proposal that any investment of over $300-million would be exempt from taxes for 10 years. She also assured these business people that they have nothing to be worried about sovereignty. It is not surprising that politicians who base themselves on the capitalist system solicit foreign capital mainly from the US. After all, commercial trade between Quebec and just the state of New York was worth over $8-billion last year. The United States as a whole absorbs at least 70% of all international exports from Quebec.

The bourgeois character of the Parti Quebecois not only comes from the last budget and giving tax-breaks to big international capital. This has always been at the heart of the party and manifests itself clearly each time the party is in power. In spite of its “left” appearance from time to time, which allows it to tow the unions behind it, the bourgeois tradition of the party has always taken precedence once in power: from René Lévesque, who imposed special laws against workers, to Lucien Bouchard, who slashed social programs.  The fact is that the PQ is has never been good for the working class of Quebec.

What are the perspectives for Quebec solidaire?

Now that the austerity agenda has been unveiled, the opportunities are very good for QS to present themselves as a real change for workers and youth. Founded as a “party of the street”, QS possesses a lot of potential. We have seen big advances for the party recently with the doubling of the amount of votes they receive and the election of their second deputy to the National Assembly. During the student movement, QS’ membership swelled by 6,000 — almost certainly the vast majority were students who have become more and more politicized and are searching for an alternative to the bourgeois politics that threaten our living conditions.  As activists and party members, we must ask the question: What is the best way to fight against the austerity and how can we bring the interests of the oppressed to parliament?

Unfortunately, the principal priorities for the leadership of QS do not appear to be combatting the austerity measures being put forward by the new PQ government. A little more than a week after the presentation of the PQ budget, which clearly continued the austerity of the Liberal party, QS met for their national council. The principal question that was focused on at this meeting was the possibility of alliances with other sovereigntist parties, instead of discussing what is the best way to fight the austerity just put forward by the PQ.  QS deputy Amir Khadir declared, “It is unthinkable to have an organizational reconciliation or political alliance (with the Parti Quebecois)”, but the end result from the council was QS leaving the door open to an electoral alliance. How can QS be an effective political vehicle or voice in fighting the PQ’s austerity if it enters into some sort of alliance with them?

Even if this is just to discuss the question of electoral alliances, the QS leadership could not have chosen a worse moment to be seen close to the PQ who have now clearly shown themselves to be more than ever at the service of the bosses. The PQ government pursues a clear policy of fiscal restraint and will be punished by the population. Is this the best moment to associate ourselves with this party? Also, why has this question been brought up again when the members of the party have already voted against this? As students and workers are now seeing the true nature of the PQ as an establishment party of the francophone bourgeoisie, we must be asking ourselves “How can we distance ourselves from this party?” and not, “Should we make an alliance with it?”

The debate at the national council centred equally around a possible alliance with the new sovereigntist party, Option National. This party, founded by ex-PQ MNA Jean-Martin Aussant (who quit the party because it didn’t place enough emphasis on sovereignty) obviously places the national question as the central point in its program. As ON militant Raphaëlle Élément explained in a letter to Le Devoir, they seem to think that sovereignty is unconditionally good for workers and youth:

“‘Independence is not left or right but it is forward!’ as many have said. Liberty in all its simplicity and grandeur constitutes an issue in and of itself. A central issue. From this, all dreams, all ideas, all politics… imposing a sense of liberty comes to bias the process of emancipation.”

But liberty for whom? Emancipation for whom? What is an emancipation which guarantees the right of the capitalists to enrich themselves while paying nothing? All signs point to the fact that the working class is sick and tired of this federalist versus sovereigntist debate. The only way forward to a real emancipation is found in a socialist program that can address all of the burning questions for workers and youth of today; to place the question of independence as primary just diverts from this goal of fighting the bosses’ austerity. When the social context is moving more and more in the direction of direct struggle between workers and bosses, to speak of an alliance with Option Nationale is an aberration. Obviously, the purpose of these discussions is to make more of a place for the question of independence inside the program of QS.

This does not mean that we reject all alliances by Quebec solidaire with other organizations. On the contrary, alliances can be beneficial for the strengthening of the labour movement, as long as they stand together and always put at the forefront the interests of the workers. If framed around this goal, QS should move towards alliances with the traditional organizations of the workers, that is to say, the New Democratic Party and the rest of the labour movement.  They need to hold discussions on possible alliances or strategies for a coordinated struggle. Adopting clear positions against austerity should be the focus of the party and would be the best tactic to grow the party.

The betrayal of the PQ is not due to moral reasons; instead, it is a necessity imposed upon them by the contradictions of the capitalist system.  To counter these austerity measures that affect workers in all countries, Quebec solidaire must fight for a socialist program that meets the aspirations of workers and unites workers against these attacks.  The opportunities are great; we just need to take the bull by the horns and work to create a party which unites all forces fighting for the interests of workers against the bourgeois parties — both federalist and sovereigntist.