The debates on the rise in popularity of the Conservative Party of Quebec have been the subject of many articles, in this newspaper or in others. The latest contribution from Professor Frédéric Boily (The duty, January 21) is interesting. On the other hand, there seems to be an important element missing which prevents a proper analysis of this party. We must not only see this party as a supporter of traditional conservatism, a political vehicle for the most radical part of the opponents of sanitary measures or as the result of friction in right-wing parties. The purpose of this participation in the debate is to affirm the libertarian character of the PCQ. It is this term that should be used when we discuss the party of the former radio host.
of freedom
What is not addressed by Boily and which it would be important to address here is the promotion of individual freedom and the subordination of the role of the state to it. Even if this value remains important for traditional conservatism and for the right in general, this dimension is much more central for the PCQ than for the other provincial political parties. Indeed, the other political parties seem to have adopted a certain consensus towards the State and its role. On the other hand, the Conservative Party formulates the strongest criticisms of the role that the State must play. Libertarian thought is quite broad, but we can identify a few points.
First, individual freedom is the supreme goal. This seems obvious, but it is how to achieve it that is important to explain. The starting postulate is that individuals are best placed to know their interests. The idea behind this postulate is that individuals possess sufficient rationality to make the choices that allow the achievement of their objectives. Moreover, each person owns himself and the work that results from his efforts. We therefore wonder how individuals should manage their interactions with each other since people cannot hope to be self-sufficient and depend only on themselves. The answer lies in access to the various markets which must serve as mediation for individuals wishing to exchange goods or services. Thus, since individuals are rational and own the fruits of their labor, they can hope to be able to exchange freely what they want with the help of equally free markets. The role of the state is therefore to promote the creation and maintenance of conditions conducive to the proper functioning of markets. The justice system, public infrastructure and law enforcement are areas that the state must take charge of, since these are important to the smooth running of a market society.
Libertarianism in Quebec
[…] If we go through the party program, we can see the great importance that the Quebec Conservatives give to the free choice of individuals. In the field of health, environment or education, freedom of choice and competition between individuals and companies are central principles. The state is seen as a brake on the efficiency of the system. Of course, the socio-political evolution of Quebec means that gains such as free healthcare cannot simply be brushed aside, but a greater presence of the private sector is seen in a positive light. Thus, greater market presence is encouraged by confidence in the virtues of individual freedom of choice.
What is vital in the criticisms of the PCQ is the supposed incompetence of the state. In times of pandemic, we can see the failures of the public policy choices that have been made over the past decades. The party therefore has a political and social situation that can encourage adherence to the libertarian critique of the state. Indeed, the various parties in power do not seem to have succeeded in taking care of the areas they were supposed to maintain, as the state of the health system demonstrates. Some people, in addition to being tired of sanitary measures, may conclude that state management cannot lead to good results. Thus, Duhaime’s troops can benefit from the support of a part of the population which demands more freedoms and less state interference.
Finally, it would be interesting to ask whether the relative popularity of the party, whose electorate is mainly concentrated in Quebec City, can be linked to the influence that Quebec radio stations may have.