The decision of certain solidarity deputies to partially pocket the salary increase to which they opposed this spring arouses misunderstanding in the ranks of the left formation at the dawn of its national council. Without condemning her ex-colleagues, the former elected Émilise Lessard-Therrien makes herself clear: she would not have kept a penny.
“I wasn’t part of the caucus discussions, I don’t know what the journey was like to get to a position like that, but what I can say is that if I had benefited from this increase, it would have allowed me to invest no less than $30,000 to benefit organizations that need money,” said the former MP for Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue, who is candidate for the post of co-spokesperson of the formation.
At the beginning of the month, the elected members of the National Assembly adopted by majority the bill 24 of Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette. This increases the base annual salary of Quebec parliamentarians by 30%. Québec solidaire strongly opposed it, accusing the government of the Coalition avenir Québec of being “judge and party” in the matter.
However, a few days before the adoption of the CAQ bill, the solidarity co-spokespersons indicated that their elected officials would be free to accept or not part of these sums, indicated Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “There will be no party line in Quebec solidaire on personal finances,” he said.
Since then, the solidarity deputy Vincent Marissal has said that he will partly cash in on the increase. His colleague Haroun Bouazzi said he had to discuss it with his wife.
“In this file, I find that Québec solidaire has made a very good job. Until then,” lamented activist François Saillant, ex-solidarity candidate in Rosemont, in an interview with The duty a few hours before the start of the national solidarity council, in Saint-Hyacinthe.
“I would have preferred, personally, that the parliamentary wing adopted a firmer position. There, it made what was a very, very, very good move from the last parliamentary session become something rather weak, ”he continued.
not all agree
At the latest news, seven out of twelve elected officials in the solidarity caucus said they would donate all of their increases to charity. Among them, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, the co-spokesperson, Manon Massé, as well as two candidates for his succession, Ruba Gazhal and Christine Labrie.
In interview with The duty, Émilise Lessard-Therrien did not want to throw a stone at the elected officials who will receive part of the increase. “It will be up to them to justify their position. “She, however, made a point of specifying that she “lived[t] very good with the salary [qu’elle avait] When [elle était] deputy”.
For Mr. Saillant, the decision to grant free choice to MNAs on this issue is “a source of incomprehension”, especially considering the firm position of the party since the tabling of the bill.
The ex-solidarity candidate would have preferred to see all the elected officials of the formation take the same path. He gives as an example the position of the deputies of the Parti Québécois, who will all three accept an increase equivalent to that granted to public sector workers in the renegotiation of collective agreements. ” [Le PQ] came out with a position that is completely defensible,” said Saillant.
Last national council before the congress
Solidarity activists meet again in national council this weekend. They will take the opportunity to discuss the party’s statutes and to salute the mandate of Manon Massé as co-spokesperson. She will leave her place in November, after more than six years in this position.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois will also detail this weekend the tour of the regions that the twelve solidarity deputies are preparing to make to reconnect with voters outside urban centers. “This is an important step for Québec solidaire in preparation for the next election,” he said in an interview.
The MNA for Gouin expects to see his party “change after this tour,” which will run from the very end of summer until the end of fall, and perhaps even this winter. The training wants to discuss the economy, but also the environment, with people from the regions. “Let’s look at the spring we have just had, with floods and historical forest fires in quick succession. These extreme climatic phenomena are not the people of Rosemont who are the most affected,” pointed out Mr. Nadeau-Dubois.
The elected official expects to be apostrophized on some of the promises of QS last summer, such as the taxes on the purchase of polluting vehicles, decked out with the title “orange taxes” by the Coalition avenir Québec. “But we, the results of the election, we did it, he said. We took note of the mistakes that were ours the last time. And there, we are in listening mode, in consultation mode to come back stronger. »
The national council of Québec solidaire begins Friday evening and ends Sunday, in Saint-Hyacinthe.