SPQ Libre
Encyclopedia
The SPQ Libre ! or Syndicalistes et progressistes pour un Québec libre ! (spelled with or without the exclamation mark
) is a political club that until March 2010 operated within the Parti Québécois
. Its president is former labour union leader Marc Laviolette
.
to bring back disillusioned left-wing militants and voters to the Parti Québécois, an established party for independence
and social democracy
, instead of creating a spoiler effect
with third parties
. Notable initiators of its birth are former Centrale des syndicats du Québec
union president Monique Richard
, former Confédération des syndicats nationaux
union president Marc Laviolette
(the current SPQ Libre president), former president of the feminist Fédération des femmes du Québec
and future BQ Member of Parliament Vivianne Barbot, and former Parti Québécois minister Robert Dean
.
Opening the Parti Québécois to the concept of political clubs was first approved by then party leader Bernard Landry
himself, convinced by left-wing activists. The party ratified this new possibility during the Parti Québécois National Council of 2005. This made it possible for the SPQ Libre to become a political club within the structure of the party.
Monique Richard
, having become the SPQ Libre spokeswoman, was elected president of the Parti Québécois at the 2005 National Council, something seen by the SPQ Libre as a left-wing victory in the PQ. It declared its intent to field a sharply progressive candidate for the Parti Québécois leadership election of 2005
, who ended up being editor of L'aut'journal
and Secretary of the SPQ Libre Pierre Dubuc
.
After continued criticism of Pauline Marois
perceived shift to the right on certain policy issues, the PQ formally expelled the group in March 2010, saying the attacks on Marois leadership and policies were "undermining party unity".
.
and with a strong determination to achieve it. Being a political club with the intent of assuring a strong left-wing presence in a party and to influence it, its nature is notably reminiscent of the New Democratic Party
's New Politics Initiative
or, to a lesser extent, of the New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus
.
Its creation represents in many ways a response to the creation of the Union des forces progressistes
(and Option citoyenne
), as well as to the discontent of some militants of the PQ leftist faction. Thus, a goal of the SPQ Libre is to demonstrate that stronger leftists have their place in the Parti Québécois, portrayed by the SPQ Libre as the only party able to achieve sovereignty.
Exclamation mark
The exclamation mark, exclamation point, or bang, or "dembanger" is a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection or exclamation to indicate strong feelings or high volume , and often marks the end of a sentence. Example: “Watch out!” The character is encoded in Unicode at...
) is a political club that until March 2010 operated within the Parti Québécois
Parti Québécois
The Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
. Its president is former labour union leader Marc Laviolette
Marc Laviolette
Marc Laviolette was Mayor of Ottawa for much of 1991. He was declared Mayor on 18 February 1991 after Jim Durrell resigned to become president of the fledgling Ottawa Senators ice hockey team...
.
History
The movement finds its roots in the hopes of many progressive Quebec sovereigntistsQuebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
to bring back disillusioned left-wing militants and voters to the Parti Québécois, an established party for independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
and social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
, instead of creating a spoiler effect
Spoiler effect
The spoiler effect describes the effect a minor party candidate with little chance of winning has in a close election, when that candidate's presence in the election draws votes from a major candidate similar to them, thereby causing a candidate dissimilar to them to win the election...
with third parties
Third party (Canada)
In Canada, a third party usually refers to a relatively small federal or provincial political party that is not usually considered to have a realistic chance of forming a government, but has representation in the federal House of Commons or the provincial legislature...
. Notable initiators of its birth are former Centrale des syndicats du Québec
Centrale des syndicats du Québec
The Centrale des syndicats du Québec , or CSQ, is the third most important trade union in Quebec, Canada, according to membership....
union president Monique Richard
Monique Richard
Monique Richard is a Quebec politician. She is a member of the National Assembly of Quebec, representing the district of Marguerite-D'Youville. She was elected in the 2008 provincial election. She is a member of the Parti Québécois and served as president of that party from 2005 to 2008.She is a...
, former Confédération des syndicats nationaux
Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux
The Confédération des syndicats nationaux , is the second largest trade union federation in Quebec by membership.- History :...
union president Marc Laviolette
Marc Laviolette
Marc Laviolette was Mayor of Ottawa for much of 1991. He was declared Mayor on 18 February 1991 after Jim Durrell resigned to become president of the fledgling Ottawa Senators ice hockey team...
(the current SPQ Libre president), former president of the feminist Fédération des femmes du Québec
Fédération des femmes du Québec
The Fédération des femmes du Québec is a feminist organization binding individuals and groups in a common goal to "promote and defend the interests and the rights of women and to fight against all forms of violence, discrimination, marginalization and exclusion towards women" in Quebec, Canada.-...
and future BQ Member of Parliament Vivianne Barbot, and former Parti Québécois minister Robert Dean
Robert Dean
Robert Logan Dean Australian politician is former member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly.Before entering politics, Dean worked as a lawyer, having obtained a Doctor of Laws from the University of Melbourne...
.
Opening the Parti Québécois to the concept of political clubs was first approved by then party leader Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry
Bernard Landry, is a Quebec lawyer, teacher, politician, who served as the 28th Premier of Quebec , leader of the Opposition and leader of the Parti Québécois .-Personal:...
himself, convinced by left-wing activists. The party ratified this new possibility during the Parti Québécois National Council of 2005. This made it possible for the SPQ Libre to become a political club within the structure of the party.
Monique Richard
Monique Richard
Monique Richard is a Quebec politician. She is a member of the National Assembly of Quebec, representing the district of Marguerite-D'Youville. She was elected in the 2008 provincial election. She is a member of the Parti Québécois and served as president of that party from 2005 to 2008.She is a...
, having become the SPQ Libre spokeswoman, was elected president of the Parti Québécois at the 2005 National Council, something seen by the SPQ Libre as a left-wing victory in the PQ. It declared its intent to field a sharply progressive candidate for the Parti Québécois leadership election of 2005
Parti Québécois leadership election, 2005
The Parti Québécois leadership election of 2005 was held from November 13 to November 15, 2005 to elect the new leader of the Parti Québécois, the main sovereigntist and social democratic political party in Quebec, Canada....
, who ended up being editor of L'aut'journal
L'aut'journal
L’aut’journal is a French language newspaper distributed in Quebec freely and through subscription. It was founded in 1984 by political scientist and journalist Pierre Dubuc, and as of 2004 has a circulation of 35,000 copies....
and Secretary of the SPQ Libre Pierre Dubuc
Pierre Dubuc
Pierre Dubuc is the director and editor of L'aut'journal, a progressive monthly paper. He is one of the founders of SPQ Libre, a left-wing political club within the Parti Québécois.- Biography :...
.
After continued criticism of Pauline Marois
Pauline Marois
Pauline Marois is the current leader of the Parti Québécois in the province of Quebec, since June 27, 2007 and current Leader of the Official Opposition of the National Assembly of Quebec, representing the riding of Charlevoix...
perceived shift to the right on certain policy issues, the PQ formally expelled the group in March 2010, saying the attacks on Marois leadership and policies were "undermining party unity".
Identity question
After the PQ’s defeat in 2007, factions of the SPQ criticized the party leadership for allowing the “identity question” and defence of "Québécois de souche" to be led by the ADQAction démocratique du Québec
The Action démocratique du Québec, commonly referred to as the ADQ is a centre-right political party in Quebec, Canada. On the sovereignty question, it defines itself as autonomist, and has support from both soft nationalists and federalists....
.
Description
The SPQ Libre is explicitly left-wing, pro labour unions and in favour of Quebec independenceQuebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
and with a strong determination to achieve it. Being a political club with the intent of assuring a strong left-wing presence in a party and to influence it, its nature is notably reminiscent of the New Democratic Party
New Democratic Party
The New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
's New Politics Initiative
New Politics Initiative
New Politics InitiativeFounded:2001Dissolved:2004Political ideology:social democracy,democratic socialismThe New Politics Initiative was a faction of Canada's New Democratic Party...
or, to a lesser extent, of the New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus
New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus
The New Democratic Party Socialist Caucus is an unofficial left-wing faction within Canada's New Democratic Party. Its manifesto maintains that the New Democratic Party has moved too far to the right, and is in danger of becoming indistinguishable from the Liberal Party...
.
Its creation represents in many ways a response to the creation of the Union des forces progressistes
Union des forces progressistes
The Union des forces progressistes was a left- wing political party in Quebec, Canada from 2002-2006. Four parties merged to form the UFP in 2002 out of desire to unite Quebec's political left:* the Rassemblement pour l'alternative progressiste ,...
(and Option citoyenne
Option citoyenne
Option citoyenne was an altermondialist and feminist political organization in the Canadian province of Quebec. The group was created by Françoise David in 2004; David and François Saillant were its official spokespersons. Option citoyenne gave official support to the left-wing Union des forces...
), as well as to the discontent of some militants of the PQ leftist faction. Thus, a goal of the SPQ Libre is to demonstrate that stronger leftists have their place in the Parti Québécois, portrayed by the SPQ Libre as the only party able to achieve sovereignty.
See also
- Parti QuébécoisParti QuébécoisThe Parti Québécois is a centre-left political party that advocates national sovereignty for the province of Quebec and secession from Canada. The Party traditionally has support from the labour movement. Unlike many other social-democratic parties, its ties with the labour movement are informal...
- Political factionPolitical factionA political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
- Quebec politics
- Quebec sovereignty movementQuebec sovereignty movementThe Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...