Relaunch of the PLQ | A “liberal constitution” to counter “PQ-Caquist” policies

(Drummondville) The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) wants to provide the province with a “liberal constitution,” summarized interim leader Marc Tanguay on Saturday. According to him, a “super law” of this kind would protect Quebec from “bad PQ-Caquist decisions,” he said in reference to the tuition fees that the Legault government wants to double for Canadian and international students who attend the English-speaking universities.

“We are not going to propose a PQ-CAQ constitution, it is a liberal constitution,” said Mr. Tanguay on the sidelines of the PLQ general council in Drummondville. Nearly 400 liberal activists debate Saturday and Sunday the relaunch of the party, which will confirm this Sunday the rules for its next leadership race to elect a new leader in the spring of 2025.

Earlier this week, the Liberal revival committee, co-chaired by MP Madwa-Nika Cadet and former senator André Pratte, tabled a series of proposals, including that of providing Quebec with a constitution which would be “an essential foundation to ensure the cultural and linguistic vitality of Quebec, and its political weight”. The document would also confirm the existing rights of the English-speaking community to education and health services in English and to control their institutions.

For Marc Tanguay, “a constitution with a liberal flavor is a constitution that will not divide Quebecers [et] which will not deprive certain groups of Quebecers of their rights,” he said.

For the party’s parliamentary leader, Monsef Derraji, it is a “golden opportunity to rally everyone, regardless of whether we are French-speaking, English-speaking or allophone, whether we have just arrived a week or 400 years.”

An “attack” on English-speaking universities

The announcement made this week by the Legault government, which wants to double tuition fees for Canadian or international students attending an English-speaking university, is provoking passions among the Liberals.

“Clearly, François Legault, we see his PQ side coming out. […] He is a PQ who likes to divide, who based his political career and his election on dividing Quebecers,” thundered leader Marc Tanguay.

A few minutes earlier, activist Antoine Dionne Charest, who was a member of the committee on the revival of the PLQ, insisted that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government was causing “irreparable” harm to Quebec institutions such as English-speaking universities.

“It looks like a separatist government,” he denounced, adding that attacking English-speaking universities by doubling tuition fees for some of their students “is a frontal attack” against the English-speaking community of Quebec.

“We are doing irreparable damage to Quebec institutions. […] We can do much better than the CAQ without stigmatizing certain Quebecers, without unduly restricting the freedoms of Quebecers. We can do much better,” insisted Mr. Dionne Charest. The latter does not rule out running to become a deputy during the next general election, in 2026.

The restart, and then the race

According to him, the party’s recovery committee is laying the foundations for the next leadership race. “You can’t ask a chef to start without adding water to the pool. […] Today we have just laid the foundations for the reconstruction of the party,” he said. The next Liberal leader will not be forced to respect the proposals set out in the report.

The only person who has confirmed their interest in the race to date is MP Frédéric Beauchemin. The latter was excluded from the liberal caucus in recent days during an investigation into a complaint for psychological harassment filed against him and his team of activists by the president of the Youth Commission and researcher of the party in Parliament, Élyse Moisan.

The elected official for the Marguerite-Bourgeoys constituency is nevertheless present this Saturday in Drummondville.

Should he stay at home and avoid participating in the party’s general council, when the person who filed a complaint against him to the party and to the official opposition whip is present at the event? “Democracy ensures that we have the right to be present,” he replied.

“There is a mediation process in place. Mediation is underway. Everything will be fine and everyone will be able to emerge as winners from this process,” said Mr. Beauchemin, surrounded by his supporters.

On Sunday, the Liberal Party will confirm the rules that will govern its next leadership race. Mr. Beauchemin, who was a supporter of a hasty campaign, will not see his wishes granted. The Liberals will instead run a race that culminates in the election of a leader in the spring of 2025. Those who run will have to give a $40,000 deposit and their campaign expenses will be capped at $400,000.

With The Canadian Press