On December 23, the editorialist of the Homework Louise-Maude Rioux Soucy was surprised at the unpreparedness of the Union of Quebec Writers and Writers (UNEQ) in the dissemination and implementation of a new union role that now allows it to negotiate collective agreements on behalf of writers, members or not of UNEQ. She pointed out that “it took almost six months for its content to burst into the public space”, and this, after the holding of a general meeting on June 20th…
The reactions published to date only deal with the new trade union role of UNEQ. However, in its press release of December 15, it is also a question of the sale of the House of writers, heritage house of the square Saint-Louis, place surveyed and inhabited by many writers and artists: Émile Nelligan, Gaston Miron, Michel Tremblay, Gérald Godin and Pauline Julien, André Gagnon, Gilles Carle and Chloé Sainte-Marie, to name but a few.
Without official consultation of all of its members, the board of directors took the decision, ratified by the assembly, to sell this house, frequented by thousands of Montrealers, Quebecers and foreign delegations. Remember that the Writers’ House, inaugurated in 1992 by Marcel Masse, then Minister of Communications of Canada, and Liza Frulla, then Minister of Cultural Affairs of Quebec, benefited from the financial support of these two ministries for its renovation. Transformed with public funds, the Maison therefore belongs as much to Quebecers as to their writers. At the very least, an electronic referendum should have been held to verify whether the Board’s proposal met with the approval of a majority of writers.
“In order to achieve these ambitious objectives, UNEQ must more than ever ensure its financial stability. The sale of its head office, discussed on several occasions over the past fifteen years, is becoming unavoidable and is one of the highlights of the 2023-2025 action plan,” reads the UNEQ press release.
Director General of UNEQ from 1993 to 2010, I can affirm that this question was never discussed by the CA during this period. Asked about this, Danièle Simpson, president of the UNEQ from 2010 to 2016, confirms that the sale of the House was mentioned, but that, after several consultations, the UNEQ concluded that the long-term rental was not an economical solution. It is therefore a project carried out recently, under the chairmanship of Suzanne Aubry. For this reason, the UNEQ must explain how the sale of the House, supposedly unavoidable, will allow it to ensure its financial stability, when it will have to relocate.
A legacy to protect
Several writers’ associations have set up houses to promote their literature and their authors: the Société des gens de lettres de France owns the Hôtel de Massa in Paris; the House of Writers and Literature of Belgium has Passa Porta, the international house of literature; the House of writers, writers and literature has a castle in Switzerland in Monthey; the Writers’ Association of Senegal has the Keur Birago Diop Writers’ House in Dakar; the House of Literature of the City of Quebec is located in Old Quebec, and the Society of Authors of Radio, Television and Cinema (SARTEC) lodges in its own house, rue Panet, in Montreal.
While the Government of Quebec is financing the transformation of the former Saint-Sulpice library into a House of Song and Music, the UNEQ is going back 30 years and renouncing the place of memory, exchanges and encounters that is the Writers’ House.
It is clear that in wanting to strengthen its union role, the UNEQ is abandoning an important part of its original mandate: the promotion and dissemination of Quebec literature. By integrating “the premises of the Union des artistes, rue de Gaspé, in Montreal, where the Guild of Musicians and Musicians of Quebec is already located”, the UNEQ will no longer have a house open to all to welcome Quebec personalities. and foreign, and to hold multiple activities: productions of the International Literature Festival (FIL), launches, round tables, conferences, etc. Will the funding granted by the three arts councils, based on the services offered for the development and promotion of Quebec literature, suffer? How to justify that the UNEQ does not say anything about it?
The Union states that it “has seized this golden opportunity which allows it to get closer to other artists’ unions and to promote the sharing of resources […] “. However, this rapprochement could take place without the sale of the Maison des écrivains, which will undoubtedly have another unfortunate consequence of forcing the UNEQ to get rid of the two libraries of Quebec works in the Émile-Nelligan salon (gift from the literary critic Réginald Martel) and the conference room — Bruno-Roy library, named in honor of this president who, with Denise Boucher, fought for the acquisition and enhancement of this real estate and literary heritage.
As for the “equitable contribution to all its members, including those who live outside Montreal and who cannot take advantage of the House of Writers”, mentioned in the UNEQ press release, we do not see not how it will be more assured in the premises of the rue de Gaspé, shared with the UDA and the Guild of musicians…
Open the debate
To put this decision with serious consequences into perspective, there is only one solution: to open the democratic debate by holding an electronic referendum with all the members. Need we remind you that the role of a Board of Directors is not only to make decisions, but also to be accountable, to be transparent, to accept the debate, by putting in place the conditions allowing it to have location ?
One might wonder, moreover, whether the current Board of Directors has not lacked historical meaning by not consulting the founding Board, made up of honorary members Nicole Brossard, Jacques Godbout, André Major and Pierre Morency, for whom the House writers was a priority objective.
I will end by quoting Louise-Maude Rioux Soucy: “ [Si l’UNEQ] does not want grumbling and mistrust to take hold, it needs, above all, a democratic catch-up session. Its credibility is at stake. »