This text is part of the special section Unionism
When the United States coughs, Canada gets the flu, as the popular expression goes. According to Magali Picard, president of the Quebec Federation of Workers (FTQ), the result of the American presidential election should serve as a warning to those who would be tempted to vote to the right in the next federal elections.
“What happens to our neighbors to the South has a definite impact on our workers and our society. We feel it in our factories, among our exporters… After all, 75% of what we export goes to the United States,” underlines Mme Picard.
This reminds us that the arrival of Donald Trump in politics, during the 2016 election, changed the way of campaigning, especially since the main party concerned has little use for the rules of the game.
“What was unacceptable 20 years ago is now trivialized,” laments the trade unionist. Today, we can have a candidate for president of the most powerful country in the world who has been convicted of a crime, in addition to making hateful, arrogant and violent speech, and it is accepted. Worse, some try to imitate him. »
“Certain political classes, here, in Quebec and in Canada, see that it works,” she continues. It is as if the populist discourse had regained its nobility. »
Resisting the siren song
Mme Picard, however, warns voters here and implores them not to succumb to this siren song.
“The right, the extreme right, is on the rise in Canada. Its supporters try to have a pro-worker discourse, they say they are there for the middle class and the less well-off, but that is not their real objective,” she says.
Like those of Donald Trump, the populist speeches of Canadian politicians, such as the federal Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre, appeal to a large part of the electorate, according to her, by capitalizing on the frustrations experienced by the population.
“People are stressed, some are cornered, have their backs to the wall [économiquement] and have a “sickening hatred” of the Liberals, who have been in power for too long in their eyes,” illustrates the president of the FTQ.
Describing as “magic wand speeches” the promises to resolve, once and for all, the housing crisis, the surge in inflation and other aspects that weigh heavily on citizens of the middle and underprivileged classes, Magali Picard recalls that every social choice has a cost.
“This magical thought of solving everything at once, how will it come to fruition? What programs will be relegated to oblivion to achieve the promised tax cuts? Who will pay? »
“As soon as we get into the details, when we question Mr. Poilievre about how he is going to solve all the problems of Canadians, he becomes very vague,” continues Mr.me Picard. He tells us that everything will be in his platform. It may not be ready yet, but Mr. Poilievre is in [campagne électorale] for a long time. »
Protecting our social assets
Even if Quebecers do not vote in majority for the Conservatives in the next call to the polls, the latter could emerge victorious, which makes the president fear that the social gains for which previous generations fought will become a thing of the past. The result is widespread impoverishment of society.
“We cannot lower taxes without affecting our social safety net,” recalls the president of the FTQ. Above all, we must not think that it is acquired: it is at stake in each election and we must continually fight to keep it,” she indicates, fearing in particular a reduction in transfers of funds to the provinces, these supporting, among other things, the health system and social programs of Quebec.
The trade unionist makes her mea culpa on this point. “The middle class has existed for so long that we have lost sight of everything we have as a society to support it,” she says. We took it for granted that the workers knew its value, but it is clear that the union organizations, including ours, did not do their part. job the right way. »
For a social project
“What we need now is a social project,” says the president of the FTQ. We must stop looking for culprits for all our problems and equip ourselves with a common vision that will give us hope for future generations. »
“Yes, Canadians and Quebecers need change,” recognizes M.me Picard. But in the name of this thirst for renewal, let us not make a choice that will take us back decades. »
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