Let’s talk about what could be called radical and extremist in the current election campaign. The Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) of Éric Duhaime? Really ? Wait… It gets better than that.
Posted yesterday at 12:00 p.m.
the branding de Québec solidaire (QS), for example, seems to enjoy a reputation according to which the party is the champion of social solidarity and the environment. In reality, a less playful reading of the program of the former leader of the red squares would rather conclude with a carefree, radical and extremist party.
Revolutionary and anti-capitalist, QS bluntly rejects the Quebec social-democratic model which still does not sufficiently satisfy its thirst for the state, prohibitions and taxes.
Let us look at the chapter on the nationalizations provided for in the program. Think of Québec Rail, Québec Bus and Québec Mer: brand new public railway, bus and seafood distribution networks. Exit private companies. Adding metro lines in Montreal? We are soon on the verge of running out of colors.
We also dream of Réseau-Québec, a public infrastructure for the Internet. The future of private schools? Converted to public schools. Do you suspect that there is chaos in the public health system? No problem. QS is here for you! Private personnel placement agencies will be banned. Private CHSLDs will be nationalized. From now on, it is Pharma-Québec that will produce, store and distribute drugs and sanitary equipment. But that’s not all ! There will be public, universal and free dental insurance. A new “smile card”, according to QS. Smile!
There are many other nonsense in the QS program.
The super-taxes on the super-rich, the double taxation of inheritances, the 100% taxation of capital gains, the surcharge for more polluting vehicles, the government flipping houses to transform them into social housing and new national distribution centers for local products, a kind of Costco-range if you will.
But that’s not all ! QS wants to renegotiate Canada’s free trade and military treaties. Nothing less.
In the chapter of prohibitions, now. Prohibited from buying a new gasoline vehicle from 2030. Prohibited, single-use products. Forbidden to waste. Yes yes. There will be a law against waste! Do you have labor disputes? Prohibited for the employer to resort to lockout, although strikes will always be permitted. Phew… we had a narrow escape. No special law can force a return to work in the event of a dispute. It’s the total, what.
But how will the wealth be created to support all of this? And who would want to settle in Quebec, tell me?
Because necessarily, we will tax more. Among others, refineries, cement and steel production (which would decrease by 8%) and agriculture. Others? Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois keeps that to himself. But in food, a reduction in the production of beef, dairy products, pork and poultry is announced. No-no! We haven’t forgotten the food: 50% of meals will be plant-based in the public sector. We understand better the nationalization of slaughterhouses…
Are you worried about your job? Hush, hush, hush! The government will control all industries producing renewable energy. At worst, you’ll be working for the government. Otherwise, if your employer has more than 50 employees, he will be obliged to produce a “staff travel management plan”!
Are the Generations Fund and the public debt concepts too abstract for you? Do not be afraid ! Eventually, there will be free education, free public transport and a guaranteed minimum income for all. Oh yes ! I almost forgot the new universal public pension plan that would take unpaid work into account.
The planet is burning. It’s “the decade of the last chance”, says QS. It takes legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030.
However, since 1990, Quebec has only reduced its emissions by 3%! Not serious. It will happen. Because damn it, it takes a revolution and the opportunity is too good. Let’s take advantage of it and ride the climato wave.
What does it matter if Hydro-Québec itself admits that it will soon run out of electricity. “We are in trouble”, they admit. Energy conversion projects abound, manpower is lacking, equipment orders sometimes take up to three years to be delivered. Develop new sources of energy? Maybe, but will we accept an increase in electricity prices?
Which leads me to analyze the performance of some complacent political analysts. Is eco-anxiety so acute that it spares Québec solidaire from justifying such a program?
So let’s come back to it. The radical and far-right PCQ? Because he wants to introduce competition in public services, give citizens more freedom of choice in terms of childcare and exploit Quebec’s natural resources? Everything that already exists in the social democratic countries that some admire so much? Stop that. It’s totally laughable.