The “pragmatism” of Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois is “a snuffer”, argue around forty supporters who want the party to “keep its soul”. At the heart of this crisis which is hitting the left-wing formation, Manon Massé believes that it is a healthy debate between two reconciliable factions.
In a letter first published in La Presse on Thursday morning, around forty solidarity activists attack the standardization of QS led by the parliamentary caucus and Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
“If QS continues its standardization and continues to concentrate power at its head, like this system of domination that it was created to combat, it will have to be considered as what it has clearly been for too many activists and numerous activists: a snuffer rather than a catalyst for hope,” concludes the letter signed in particular by Catherine Dorion and ex-candidates.
Among them, there is the former president and co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire, André Frappier, and the solidarity candidate in Rimouski in 2018 and 2022, Carol-Ann Kack.
The founder of Ma place au travail and defeated solidarity candidate in Rivière-du-Loup–Témiscouata in 2022, Myriam Lapointe-Gagnon, also co-signed the letter.
According to these members, the idea was “that QS does not come to power by relying solely on the usual political rules, this kind of horse race settled by polls, commentary and the division of the people into electoral clienteles and in microtargeting.”
At least three employees of the county of Jean-Lesage, where Sol Zanetti is elected, sign the letter.
Keep “your soul”
In an interview, Carol-Ann Kack is more nuanced and affirms that all the members want Québec solidaire to be able to govern.
“We are a fringe that comes to say that we will not succeed in being a government party that makes transformations if there is not the necessary support and for us, that means continuing to have originality, a real voice for feminism and different faces like Émilise Lessard-Terrien,” she explained. She adds that there is a damn “big gang” who wants QS to “keep his soul.”
“It can be up to Gabriel to choose if he wants to continue to move forward in this (…) and leave a real place for others.”
However, she does not question the leadership of GND, which she describes as “an excellent parliamentarian”.
Ms. Kack hopes that QS returns to its momentum of 2018, when Manon Massé succeeded in making the party shine in the public space and among the electorate, while remaining authentic.
Reconcilable
Precisely, the former solidarity co-spokesperson, Manon Massé, points out that it is the parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois who “launched a debate” and that it is healthy.
“When you launch a debate, it explodes from everywhere and it’s healthy, and that’s what Québec solidaire is all about,” she said.
The member for Sainte-Marie–Saint-Jacques published a letter on social networks Tuesday to highlight the departure of Émilise Lessard-Terrien. However, she had warned the members of the risks of slipping if they tore themselves apart in public.
“The strength of our party lay in the coexistence of different ideas,” she wrote, adding that “despite wounds and disagreements, experience tells me that it is never good for the left to seek to resolve disagreements in public. The social or political left is rowing against the tide and the headwinds are powerful and they have the means to harm us.”
It must be believed that these words did not convince Catherine Dorion and the other signatories.
“What I said is when we have things to say to each other, we address them to each other… not through someone else,” she said, joking about her leadership which has crumbled in the party. “No one has listened to me for a week,” she said, before indicating that “it’s not true”, that people are “still” listening to her.
Ms. Massée recalls that it was the members who asked those in solidarity to be more connected with the regions. They were also the ones who wanted to improve the program and the status of QS.
