Dear Legault-Caquist government! I would like here to associate the Prime Minister’s family name as well as his political origin with the term government, quite simply because this explains it.
Many of us have associated (and must still do so!), the CAQ ideological line with public management elevating the attributes of a business model to the rank of almost absolute. The National Center for Textual and Lexical Resources (CNRTL) specifies that businessism corresponds to “the conduct of a person who, in his business, is exclusively concerned with profit, at the expense of any ethical consideration”. As a result, decisions seem to be taken quickly and lack vision, the ethical framework remains vague, men are mainly in charge, etc. In short, nothing good lies ahead!
This government takes refuge behind business reflexes in its management of public affairs. This undeniably raises some questions, even apprehensions. Because in this model, doing business takes precedence over everything else. Here are some examples:
Enrich the “managing” staff above all, as was decided by considerably increasing the salaries offered to the deputation, in order to remain attractive.
Seize opportunities for “business” opportunism by supporting the organization of National Hockey League (NHL) hockey games in Quebec.
Clientelize citizens, by relying on the expressions “taxpayers” or even, by abundantly using the old notion of “taking people hostage”, a totally inappropriate expression, the use of this term necessarily implying that those who take hostage, here unionized personnel, use force to hold innocent victims against their will.
Prioritize taking care of the friends of the model, by abundantly financing once again, for example, international firms active in the Energy Transition Valley (moreover without a trans-Quebec electrified public transport project!). Let us think here in particular of these multinational private companies, such as General Motors (GM), Northvolt or even BASF, which to this day seems to be threatening to leave… perhaps to activate other hundreds of millions coming from Quebec. Here, billions flow freely!
Finally, I emphasize to this government responsible for the political direction of public services that we are… in negotiations.
I also bring back to his thought that unduly supporting NHL clubs, offering a significant increase to the deputation or even distributing considerable financial support to large private companies, and this, in the context of negotiation, is received by college professors (and many other union members) as so many slaps in the face.
Mr. Legault, Quebec is a community that values ITS public services, funded, valued, accessible and, as much as possible, free. And this range of services is supported by more than 420,000 workers (heart, head and arms) from the Common Front, to which are added colleagues from other unions (FIQ, FAE, SPGQ, etc.), for a total of more than 600,000 people who expect, Mr. Legault, to receive decent offers, which demonstrate real consideration and respect.
Finally, this government seems to be constantly improvising, even telling us that Labatt Bleue will not be offered to everyone. But what a lack of judgment, with an allegory, with all respect to our colleagues in this company, clearly inappropriate.
We will be in the street, Mr. Legault! It’s up to you to react now.