The Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) chose its candidate in the riding of Marie-Victorin. This is Shirley Dorismond, a gerontology nurse who was vice-president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), whose words have sometimes been harsh towards the Legault government.
Posted at 12:58 p.m.
Updated at 1:59 p.m.
“I need Shirley. She is a woman whose experience is absolutely necessary in our overhaul of the health network. It’s a plus for Marie-Victorin, for Quebec, ”said François Legault immediately at a press conference. “We have a baccalaureate nurse as a candidate. What a dream of a party leader today,” he insisted, adding that “Quebecers love nurses.”
In the eyes of the Prime Minister, the candidate will be an important asset in this overhaul, which will include “more flexibility locally in each establishment, to make schedules that respect the work-family balance”.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Shirley Dorismond and François Legault at a press conference, Sunday
Mr. Legault, however, acknowledged that some will be “surprised” by the appointment of Mr.me Dorismond who, until recently, was vice-president of the FIQ.
We had negotiations over the past few years. When you are responsible for a union, you have a duty to defend its members and to demand as much as possible. It is therefore possible that you will find traces where we still did not agree.
Françoit Legault, about Shirley Dorismond
In a letter co-signed with the interim president of the FIQ, Nathalie Levesque, Ms.me Dorismond indeed spoke forcefully to Mr. Legault last October, deploring that “despite advances in women’s rights in recent decades, we still feel the weight of the double standard for healthcare professionals”.
“Maintaining an abusive mode of management, which keeps us captive to our work, makes you, Mr. Legault, an accomplice in organizational violence”, she also hammered. On Twitter, she also indicated in July 2020 “that there will be no social justice as long as systemic racism exists”.
“I want to get in on the action”
Asked about this, the main interested party, who grew up in Marie-Victorin, justified her choice to join the CAQ by speaking of a “team of change and action”. “The government is ready to overhaul the health network. I want in on the action. I want to participate in any way, “she said, praising the “very human, very ground and very concrete side” of Mr. Legault.
The issue of racism is important. The Prime Minister said that there was racism in Quebec. It is the first government to take action to fight against racism.
Shirley Dorismond, CAQ candidate in Marie-Victorin
“It will be my pleasure to name all the facts that I could have tweeted or discussed to bring to the team, to talk about my observations with the minister responsible”, she added, saying “totally assume” her about.
At his side, François Legault was cautious, repeating the same formula he has been using for several months already. “There is a part of Quebecers who think that there is a racist system, and another part that does not think that the system is racist, but the majority of Quebecers think that there is racism. The important thing is to bring people together. »
In addition to access to public transit and social housing, Shirley Dorismond wants to make access to care a pillar of her campaign. “I think it is high time to make more room for the skills of nurses, but also of pharmacists and all health professionals,” she judged, saying she wanted to go further in terms of support. caregivers and home care. “I lived and saw the good side. I rubbed shoulders with really fantastic people, who will recognize themselves. But also, I saw the flaws in the system on the ground,” she continued.
His nomination means that all the parties have now announced their candidate in Marie-Victorin, whose seat has been vacant since the election of Catherine Fournier as mayor of Longueuil. It is not yet known when the election will be called. Mr. Legault intends at least “to wait a few weeks, the time that the pandemic is a little more under control”. “As soon as it will be possible, we will launch this by-election,” he promised, saying “not to take anything for granted” in this traditionally PQ riding.