The resignation of the co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire Émilise Lessard-Therrien caused a shock wave on the Quebec political scene. She is the second disappointed woman to leave the party criticizing the male co-spokesperson, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. Former MP Catherine Dorion had also expressed her recriminations in public.
These two highly publicized departures, followed by that, on Wednesday, of Élisabeth Labelle, volunteer on the national coordination committee1, highlight tensions within a party which is supposed to distinguish itself from its adversaries by its very democratic functioning. A party from which members past and present have high expectations.
This is the case of Éric Martin, an early activist from the Union of Progressive Forces, this left-wing party which merged with Citizen Option in 2006 to give birth to Québec solidaire. Mr. Martin, today a philosophy teacher at CEGEP, does not hide his bitterness. Although he no longer has his QS membership card, he is very critical of his ex-party. “When we founded QS, we didn’t want to be like the others,” he says. We didn’t want any hierarchy, no patriarchal domination. »
“This party espoused a way of doing things different from the others,” he continues. There, it seems that there is a normalization effect. The base is increasingly dissatisfied and I find that the departures of Catherine and Émilise, in addition to calling into question the place of women and regions in this party, should sound the alarm. »
A necessary questioning
The crisis that is shaking QS these days raises interesting questions: can we hope to do things differently in politics while evolving within a parliamentary system which is by definition very regulated and standardized?
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Émilise Lessard-Therrien resigned this week from her position as female co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire.
Is it true that Québec solidaire has become professionalized? That he betrayed his fundamental values? Or, in the words of some political commentators, is it a den of poets that resembles more “a student association” than a mature political party?
At a press briefing on Wednesday, co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois promised that there would be substantive debates during the national congress in Jonquière at the end of May. There will undoubtedly be some difficult discussions, but does that mean QS has to “fall in line”?
“Québec solidaire is a real political laboratory, it would be too easy to say that it doesn’t work,” says Jonathan Durand Folco, professor at the School of Social Innovation at Saint Paul University, in Ottawa.
For example, we hear people saying that we should abandon the concept of two spokespersons. However, this would contribute to normalizing the party which would no longer have its specificity and its element of freshness.
Jonathan Durand Folco, professor at the School of Social Innovation at Saint Paul University
“Doing politics differently, what does that mean exactly? », asks Pascale Navarro, author of the essay Women and power: the necessary changes. Plea for parity.
“Doing things differently can mean a lot of things,” she continues, citing the example of former PQ MP Véronique Hivon, a reformist rather than a revolutionary, who used existing levers to bring new elements in politics, such as transpartisanship. »
Mme Navarro, who is involved with the Women, Politics and Democracy group, believes that even if Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois is spokesperson, he has still come to embody the figure of the leader as we understand it. “There, we have two women who did not feel in their place,” recalls the author and speaker. In politics, we too often brandish women as a victory, but it seems that we don’t think about what we will do with them next. We don’t think about the place we want to give them. QS must ask himself what he wants to do with this co-spokesperson position. »
On the French side
To find different and inspiring political models, we must look elsewhere, believes Jonathan Durand Folco. In France, in particular, within the municipalist movement.
“There are coalitions of citizen groups who come together and develop a political project,” explains the author of Reinventing democracy: from participation to collective intelligence, at the University of Ottawa Press. The coalition elects representatives or chooses them by drawing lots. These remain marginal trends, it’s true, but these are examples where the leaders or representatives do not have a blank check. The person who represents the group is liable and their title is revocable if it is no longer legitimate. »
The political revocation mechanism, or recall, is another example of a very democratic approach, explains Mr. Durand Folco. Used in several states, including California, it inspired a Parti Québécois bill last year. “This ability to revoke the mandate of an elected official is a counter-power to ensure that the elected official maintains contact with the consulting assembly,” underlines the professor. It comes with more requirements and consultation. It takes more time, but it means that it’s not just the boss who imposes his decisions. »
Politics should not be limited to something Cartesian and pragmatic, according to him. “We must not neglect the emotional part and the dream part which are also part of politics. »
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Former solidarity MP Catherine Dorion
In his opinion, Émilise Lessard-Therrien and Catherine Dorion embodied a certain passion, and “there must be room for these voices within QS,” he believes.
A point of view shared by Pascale Navarro. “We have two girls who questioned their party,” she emphasizes. No one would do that in other parties. I’m happy to see people trying to change things. As co-spokesperson, Émilise Lessard-Therrien sowed hope. What happens to that hope now? »
1. Read “Crisis in Québec solidaire: another resignation from the national coordinating committee”
What do you think ? Participate in the dialogue
Calling all
Do you believe it is possible to do politics differently? Or do you believe that our political system is too rigid for parties that want to make more room for activists? Have you ever campaigned in a party? What would convince you to do it?
Write U.S ! Let us know your point of view
reference: www.lapresse.ca