In the security of old affairs

The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) and the Parti Quebecois (PQ) suffered, a fortnight ago, the worst defeat in their history. And, since then, they have only found refuge in the security of old affairs to avoid facing reality.

For the Liberal Party, this security is called the Official Opposition. For the Parti Québécois, this security is called the symbolism of sovereignty. In both cases, this condemns them, in the long term, to marginality.

The PLQ clings like a buoy to its official opposition status. This comes with certain parliamentary privileges and “government in waiting” status. Conveniently forgetting that he owes this status to his stronghold constituencies west of Montreal.

On the basis of this status, the PLQ would like to prevent Québec solidaire (QS) and the Parti québécois from becoming recognized parties – which requires a certain flexibility in the application of the regulations. What the National Assembly has regularly done.

It would be all the more petty since the PLQ received fewer votes than QS or the PQ. To say that all of this should be part of a broader parliamentary reform is simply dodging the debate.

But this rigidity of the PLQ is a double-edged sword. It would allow the PLQ to save a real autopsy of its defeat. In particular the fact that, to truly be a government in waiting, you need a solid foundation in French-speaking Quebec. What the PLQ lost in the last election.

Above all, the last campaign revealed that the PLQ no longer has a militant base. Apart from two ridings where there have been contested nomination meetings – and hence a campaign to sell membership cards – most local associations have only a handful of members left or worse, no longer meet the internal party regulations. Candidates were surprised to realize that there was not even a president of a liberal association left in certain constituencies.

But it is easier to take refuge in a headlong rush, concentrating on parliamentary work, and avoiding the painful tasks of reconstruction on the ground.

Without forgetting that the PLQ will not be able to save a debate and a vote on the leadership of Dominique Anglade. Leadership already contested…

In the Parti Québécois, the refuge is in symbolism. The PQ survived while many predicted its death, but we must not forget that Paul St-Pierre Plamondon owes his own election in Camille-Laurin only to the fact that the QS candidate stole a leaflet from a mailbox. …

The campaign against the oath to the King enabled him to please his activists and to get people talking about him. But this battle is not over and the PQ leader has already made a strategic mistake that could be costly.

In fact, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon put his fate in the hands of François Legault. Indeed, it is the Prime Minister who – even if he agrees with the abolition of this colonial remnant – will decide how.

And why would he give the PQ a favor when he has just spent an election campaign trying – and largely succeeding – to replace him in the nationalist electorate? The PQ was very naive to expect any favor from the government.

The PQ leader believes that a simple motion from the National Assembly will suffice, but nothing is less certain: the abandonment of the oath of allegiance is, in fact, a modification of the Constitution.

Without entering into a debate of experts, one can estimate that it is a question here of modifying the internal Constitution of Quebec. So we don’t have to ask permission from Ottawa or the other provinces. But the fact remains that we cannot make constitutional amendments by a simple motion of the National Assembly.

The leader of the government (outgoing) Simon Jolin-Barrette has already closed this door, saying that, in the circumstances, a law in good and due form is needed.

However, a law cannot be adopted in two minutes. It takes time, probably a parliamentary committee, and there is no indication that we can do it by steam. Mr. Legault was also clear: “to make this change, the deputies must be able to sit”, he indicated by his press secretary.

The PQ members will therefore have to decide whether they are going to stay out of the House for weeks, if not months, or whether they are going to step on the paint and go take their seats as members, while respecting the formalities. They would be in good company since all the PQ members who sat there before them had done so.

And too bad for Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon, who wanted to make it a big partisan “smoke show”. He will probably have no choice but to swallow his grand speeches on the sanctity of oaths and the “perjury” of allegiance to Charles III.