Québec Solidaire Congress: United Front Against Austerity and For Independence

Details: Published on Sunday, 28 May 2017 23:30; Written by editor

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A Socialist Project e-bulletin .... No. 1422 .... May 29, 2017
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Québec Solidaire Congress: United Front Against Austerity and For Independence

Richard Fidler

As expected, the 500 delegates to the congress of Québec solidaire (QS), held in Montréal on May 19-22, voted to work toward a fusion with Option nationale, debated and adopted the remaining part of the party's draft program with few major amendments, and elected a new leadership headed by "co-spokespeople" Manon Massé and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

Most of these achievements, however, were overshadowed by the debate on a proposal by some of the outgoing leadership that the party attempt to negotiate an "electoral pact" with the Parti québécois (PQ) for the 2018 Quebec general election, as offered by PQ leader Jean-François Lisée, that would entail an agreement to abstain from standing candidates against... each other in some counties (ridings) deemed "winnable" by the other party. After a passionate debate the congress voted by more than two-thirds to reject this proposal (Option B, as amended) and in favour of a resolution (Option A, as amended) proclaiming that "Québec solidaire aims for a genuine united front against austerity, for energy transition and for independence."

But no sooner was this debate over than Québec solidaire was confronted with the need to clarify its own scenario for achieving independence and the strategic forces it looks to for this purpose.