- SPQ Libre
The SPQ Libre ! or Syndicalistes et progressistes pour un Québec libre ! (spelled with or without the
exclamation mark ) is apolitical club within theParti Québécois . Its president is formerlabour union leaderMarc Laviolette .History
The movement finds its roots in the hopes of many progressive Quebec sovereigntists to bring back disillusioned
left-wing militants and voters to the Parti Québécois, an established party forindependence andsocial democracy , instead of creating a "spoiler effect " withthird parties . Notable initiators of its birth are formerCentrale des syndicats du Québec union presidentMonique Richard , formerConfédération des syndicats nationaux union presidentMarc Laviolette (the current SPQ Libre president), former president of the feministFédération des femmes du Québec and future BQ Member of ParliamentVivianne Barbot , and former Parti Québécois ministerRobert 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 militants. 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 ofL'aut'journal and Secretary of the SPQ LibrePierre Dubuc .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 ADQ. [http://www.wsws.org/articles/2007/nov2007/pq-n16.shtml]
Description
The SPQ Libre is explicitly left-wing, pro labour unions and in favour of Quebec independence 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 'sNew Politics Initiative or, to a lesser extent, of theNew Democratic Party Socialist Caucus .Its creation represents in many ways a response to the creation of the
Union des forces progressistes (andOption 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.See also
*
Parti Québécois
*Political faction
*Quebec politics
*Quebec sovereignty movement External links
* [http://www.spqlibre.org/ Official site]
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