The New Democratic Party (NDP) chooses a Quebecer to develop its communication strategy across the country. This is the trade unionist Éric Demers, a close collaborator of the only member of the party in Quebec, Alexandre Boulerice, who does not hesitate to criticize the Legault government on social networks.
The two men met while playing water polo. “To give an idea: he is a fighter, loose MP Boulerice. He’s the kind of person who eats politics and doesn’t take prisoners. He is outspoken, but he is capable of finesse in the arguments, in the communications. »
The New Democrat has won repeated elections in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, in Montreal, since Éric Demers joined his team for the 2011 election. After this election, he would sit in Ottawa alongside many other NDP MPs elected during the “orange wave”. Alexandre Boulerice is now the only Quebecer remaining on the team.
“Sometimes journalists or columnists talk about the “Boulerice machine” in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie. The person who designed and built it, the “machine”, was Éric Demers”, assures the MP, in an interview with Of thesee from Montreal.
Close to the boss
Even after accepting a job as a communications advisor at the Quebec Federation of Labor (FTQ) in 2016, Éric Demers remained reachable for the NDP. It prepared its leader, Jagmeet Singh, during the televised debates of the 2019 and 2021 elections, in particular. He will become from Monday the national director of communications of this party on the left of the Canadian political spectrum.
In the rest of Canada, New Democrats know him for working for 2012 leadership candidate Brian Topp, who was ultimately defeated by Thomas Mulcair. He also traveled to British Columbia to join the provincial NDP campaign the following year.
“What interests me, and what will be my jobit’s to make sure that as many people as possible can hear about the good things we’ve done,” explains Éric Demers.
At 50, he was excited to return to full-time work for the NDP when his party struck a deal with the Liberal Party of Canada. This arrangement should allow Justin Trudeau’s minority government to stay in power until 2025, under certain conditions.
“Dental insurance is big,” he says, referring to new dental benefits for children that his party has negotiated, which should soon be extended to the elderly as well, according to the agreement.
He’s a brawler. He’s the kind of person who eats politics and doesn’t take prisoners. He is outspoken, but he is capable of finesse in the arguments, in the communications.
In addition to Mr. Demers, Jagmeet Singh’s entourage also includes Quebecers Jonathan Gauvin, recently promoted to deputy chief of staff, himself replaced by François Soucy, new head of research and parliamentary affairs for the NDP.
From Alexandre Boulerice’s point of view, “it’s the fun to have one more Quebecer in Jagmeet’s close guard”. For Éric Demers, it is also a matter of particular “sensitivity”. “Quebec has a different relationship with the federal government. There is no doubt in the NDP about that. »
Criticism of Francois Legault
A photographer in his spare time, he regularly expresses his opinions on social networks. His Facebook page is full of mockery and criticism of all kinds against the Premier of Quebec, François Legault. For example, he defends the word ” woke “, and criticizes certain decisions of Quebec during the pandemic of COVID-19.
” Sorry but fuck you Legault! Return from the curfew at 8 p.m. in Montreal. Are you fooling me? “, he wrote on his Facebook page in April 2021.
The principal concerned sneered when he remembered this remark, written in “a moment ofdisgusting which was shared by many”. He downplayed the impact of his “mostly humorous” rants, as he says he has no problem sitting down with someone who has different opinions. “I have friends at the CAQ [Coalition avenir Québec], I have friends everywhere. We suck each other off once in a while. »
He took office in the NDP when its leader, Jagmeet Singh, had been experiencing a certain stagnation in public opinion for several years. The party is credited with 13% of voting intentions in Quebec, among decided voters, according to a Léger-The duty released last week. An Ipsos poll published the same week gives it barely 9%, slightly less than what it obtained in 2021.
Despite the NDP’s attempts to grow in Quebec during the last election, only Alexandre Boulerice won the favor of voters in Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, in Montreal.