(Quebec) Liberal leader Dominique Anglade must have “minimal respect for the democratic will” of Quebecers and agree to recognize Québec solidaire (QS) as a parliamentary group in the National Assembly, pleads her co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois .
Posted at 12:10 p.m.
Updated at 12:17 p.m.
“The next few weeks will reveal the real Dominique Anglade, the true nature of her leadership: is it vengeful leadership or open leadership, focused on dialogue? “, he launches in an interview in a nod to the slogan of the Liberal campaign.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says he is ready to give the three Parti Québécois (PQ) deputies “the means to do their job well”. “Several formulas are possible”, and they do not necessarily go through the granting of the status of parliamentary group in their case, he suggests.
Negotiations will soon begin between the parties on the place that QS and the PQ will occupy in the National Assembly. The status of parliamentary group allows a party to have more budget, but also more speaking time in the House. To obtain this status, it is necessary to have at least 12 deputies or obtain 20% of the votes at the end of the general elections. Neither QS (11 deputies; 15.4%) nor the PQ (3 deputies; 14.6%) respect this condition.
But the rules have already been bent in the past. In 2018, the two formations were able to obtain the status of parliamentary group without meeting the conditions, thanks to an agreement between the parties. This agreement had been adjusted over time to take into account the reduction in the number of PQ members.
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Dominique Anglade
Despite a historic beating and a lower percentage of votes than the PQ and QS (14.4%), the Liberal Party of Quebec clung to its title of official opposition by electing 21 deputies. Dominique Anglade refused to commit to recognizing QS and the PQ as parliamentary groups.
To give her agreement, she set conditions, such as reopening the debate on the reform of the voting system. However, François Legault closed the door to this idea last week. The Liberal leader also linked the issue of the status of the QS and the PQ to that of parliamentary reform; Mr. Legault is ready to relaunch this file, which fell into oblivion during his first mandate.
For Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, Dominique Anglade’s explanations are confusing and serve to camouflage the underlying issue.
It would be inconceivable, according to him, that QS is not recognized as a parliamentary group with 11 deputies, whereas it had been in 2018 with 10 deputies. “Dominique Anglade cannot place himself above the popular volunteer. More people voted for Québec solidaire than for the Liberal Party; our voting system being what it is, it has more deputies. But there, there is a minimum respect to have for the democratic will of Quebeckers. Mme Anglade must respect this will and agree to work with Québec solidaire. »
After campaigning on a style of leadership that wants to be “unifying”, the Liberal leader must now demonstrate it, according to him. She gives the impression of not wanting to give an inch when she has just appointed as parliamentary leader Marc Tanguay, considered a hawk in the Liberal deputies. The parliamentary leaders of the various parties will lead the negotiations.
Without a parliamentary group status, the 14 elected members of QS and the PQ would sit as independent deputies. There is a risk that the parliament will be dysfunctional, according to Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “I appeal to Dominique Anglade’s sense of responsibility. As Leader of the Official Opposition, she is also responsible for helping to ensure that the National Assembly is functional. »
For his part, Prime Minister François Legault said he was open to recognizing QS and the PQ as parliamentary groups.
For Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, “it is clear that the Parti Québécois MNAs must be given the means to do their job well”, in terms of budget and speaking time. But he is not prepared to automatically grant them parliamentary group status. “There are several formulas that are possible. We will discuss all of this around the negotiating table, ”he pleaded.
“Recognition as a parliamentary group can mean several things. We are open to a form of recognition for the Parti Québécois which reflects the number of deputies they have and which reflects the number of votes they received in the last elections,” added the co-spokesperson for Solidarity Quebec.
“We have already been three members of Québec solidaire. We know what it is, and we are ready to work with the Parti Québécois so that it has the necessary resources to properly carry out its mandate. »
In 2014, Françoise David, Manon Massé and Amir Khadir had not obtained the status of a parliamentary group. QS won 7.6% of the vote.