The social catastrophe represented by the thousands of deaths of our seniors in CHSLDs has become the finest example of hypocrisy and political partisanship, all parties combined. Over the past half-century, no party has shown any interest in old people. Apart from Health Ministers Jean Rochon and Réjean Hébert, who unsuccessfully tried to put home care first, successive governments have always neglected seniors.
Posted at 4:00 p.m.
And then came the pandemic! The whole earth was taken aback. No one really knew what to do. All governments have been overwhelmed. That of the CAQ too. All governments have made mistakes. That of the CAQ too. Far be it from me to defend François Legault or to trivialize the horror of the drama. The CHSLDs had no captains since the magnificent Barrette reform. However, everyone knows that a brigade in an emergency situation needs a captain, otherwise it’s a rout. The CHSLDs have been deserted for lack of leaders. In this context, given the speed of the contamination and the scientific knowledge of the time, no opposition party would have known how to manage such a crisis. Neither the Liberals, nor the PQ, nor the Solidaires, nor the Conservatives.
With the current election campaign, the Quebec drama is being exploited for low partisan purposes, regardless of the party talking about it. In reality, we still don’t care about old people, like 50 years ago.
We want their votes. So we pretend. Everyone rips his shirt off crying foul. As per usual. Félix Leclerc understood well: “The next day, of course…”
I was a political activist for almost 40 years. I have witnessed, more often than not, sometimes dubious partisan maneuvers. What I have observed over the past few months is beyond comprehension. Politicians, please stop fueling the cynicism of voters! I beg you, in the name of the democracy you claim to defend. I’m on the eve of my 90s, no need to try to convince me of your good faith. Be real for once.