The militants of the Parti Québécois (PQ) will evaluate this weekend in congress the possibilities that the formation positions itself in favor of the nationalization of drinking water and the lowering of the minimum voting age to 16 years.
These proposals will be tabled by the National Youth Committee of the Parti Québécois (CNJPQ) on Saturday. They will then be put to a vote.
At its last congress, held in 2021 in Trois-Rivières, the members of the PQ had adopted a program providing in particular for “increase[er] considerably the charge payable for the commercial and industrial use of water”. The young PQ proposal goes a little further. The latter will suggest on Saturday “to evaluate the methods which could allow Quebec to proceed with the nationalization of its water”.
“For us, water is such an important resource that we think it should be part of the reflections on the future of Quebec”, underlined in an interview with The duty the president of the CNJPQ, Marie-Laurence Desgagnés. “What is clear is that the current royalties are not sufficient in light of the importance that this resource will have in the coming years. »
For the moment, the state receives about three million dollars a year from private companies that withdraw fresh water on Quebec territory. The Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, has pledged to “significantly” increase these amounts, but the CNJPQ is wondering about this way of doing things.
“Should we find a model where the private sector still has its place or is the best way to protect the resource is for the State to assume full leadership on this issue? questioned M aloud.me Desgagnes.
A few hours before the convention, the president of the young PQ “has the impression that there may be an opening” vis-à-vis the proposal. “But I couldn’t say if the national executive supports us in this process,” she said.
Lower the voting age
The CNJPQ has put five proposals on the agenda for this weekend. One of them also plans to “lower to 16 the age for obtaining the quality of elector”.
During her short term as Prime Minister, Pauline Marois had indicated that it was “not so stupid” to evaluate the option of voting at 16, but had never gone ahead. The CNJPQ will concretize this “historic position” on Saturday by asking the parliamentary wing to table a bill to this effect.
“We should know that our members [au CNJPQ] take their card from the age of 16. The fact that we are already witnesses to the extent to which young people, even those under the age of 18, are citizens who are very often committed, responsible and capable of assuming political thought”, indicated Marie-Laurence Desgagnés to the other end of the wire.
The president of the National Youth Committee believes that such a measure could combat “democratic disinterest” among the youngest.
“Young people aged 16 to 18 are mostly still on the school benches. So, through educational activities, we can promote democratic participation from the first vote. Then, once we have already been to vote, we are more likely to return, ”she noted.
The CNJPQ will also take advantage of Saturday’s congress to propose a “national public transport subsidy program for students”. The party has planned an “announcement” on the budget for year one of a sovereign Quebec.
The PQ congress will be held on a single day, in Sherbrooke, on Saturday.