Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois is not the one who proposed organizing “leadership races” at Québec Solidaire (QS), but the co-spokesperson for the left-wing party welcomes this possibility.
“Québec solidaire is growing, and the operation that the founders of Québec solidaire gave themselves in 2006 corresponded very well to reality […] of 2006. Here, we are 18 years later, we are elsewhere,” argued Mr. Nadeau-Dubois on Tuesday. He was reacting to the revelations of Duty according to which the party is considering making one of its spokespersons a leader “within the meaning of the Election Act” to raise funding in future leadership races.
Although preliminary, this idea, which was presented in a survey to members at the end of 2023, could make headway and result in a formal proposal in the fall. QS will then decide on an in-depth overhaul of its statutes and regulations.
“Personally, I think we need to modernize these provisions of our statutes,” agreed Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, who plays, in tandem with Émilise Lessard-Therrien, the role of solidarity spokesperson. “How, exactly?” What is the right modality? My thinking is not done. »
Unlike most political groups, QS has two spokespersons to represent it on the national scene. As the Electoral Law requires parties to have a leader, it is traditionally the general secretary of QS who has held this title. He therefore holds certain administrative powers, such as the approval of electoral candidacies.
In a survey of members, which ended in December, the party raised the idea of holding leadership races, and therefore of appointing one of its co-spokespeople the position of leader. This title would only be symbolic, it is assured, because decisions relating to national orientations would continue to be taken by the National Coordination Committee, of which the spokespersons are a part.
On Tuesday, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois made it clear that the current system was in no danger of disappearing. “There is no question of putting an end to the system of two spokespersons, neither in my mind nor in the mind of the management,” underlined the elected official from Gouin.
In any case, he said, “it’s not a proposal yet, it’s a survey.” “The survey was conducted by [un] group of activists who come from almost all regions. So, it was not me or the party leadership who wrote the poll,” he added.
According to QS, the presidential races are “synonymous with a significant expense” for the party. According to its latest audited financial report made public by the Director General of Elections of Quebec, the left-wing party left the year 2022 with a shortfall in revenues and expenses of nearly $1.4 million. Data for 2023 has not yet been released.