FULL SWING FOR THE LEFT IN QUÉBEC

vol. 1, no. 2, Federal Elections, $ 1.00

si vous voulez lire en français, : http://www.laviereelle.blogspot.com/

Obviously, the Conservatives have a chunk in the Province of Québec. This was confirmed by the CROP-La Presse poll where they were supported by 31% of the interviewees. However, The Gazette of August 17 stressed that “The Summer’s public-opinion polls show Conservatives and Liberals neck-and-neck across the country; evidently Harper doesn’t believe that.” Previously they would have garnered 24% of the people’s support in the homeland of the French-Canadian nation, according to Léger Marketing-Le Devoir on June 20th, while one week later they reached 26%, after CROP-La Presse completed the same exercise on June 27th. This is consistent with the real favour of the right in Québec. On the left side, the New Democratic Party (NDP) jumps slightly from 16% to 17% during the same period. They summed up at 14% August 27th.

Bloc Québécois (an alliance of conservative and progressive nationalists) vacillated and plunged from 31% to 29%, to come back at 30%. As for the Liberals, they moved from 23 to 21%, and finally 20%. Meanwhile, the Greens collected 5% and now 4%.

The fact is that the voters of the Liberal party are more than often progressive-minded people, the Reds. Their vote added to the NDP and a fringe of the Bloc Québécois, and hopefully the Greens; and the political landscape in Québec is rather encouraging.

Apparently, the Conservatives gained five points during the summer period; they gleaned points from each of the other political parties. Basically, there is no room for conservative policies in the “dormant” Québec. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been surely briefed on this issue. For instance, the Action Démocratique du Québec (ADQ)’s sweeping since the last elections in La Belle Province confirms the slowdown of the right. They represent less than a third of the whole population, at the moment.

And the winner is…

One afternoon after the working session, our group of journalists was getting ready to leave, still surrounding the editorial table. One of us was reading La Presse. It raised a question: what party is going to win the next federal elections? Nobody actually reacted to the question. I said: I am going to vote for the Liberals. Quickly another declared that she was leaving the Bloc québécois and intended to do the same. Another told the same thing, referring to the cuts in the cultural industry by the Tories. At last, a younger one expressed her choice for the NDP. “It will be my first ever vote for them.”
The day after, a Chilean friend –psychologist and communist- declared that “this time”, he would opt for the Liberal Party. Another friend, a professional welder, affirmed that he would vote for the NPD. It seems that spontaneously the people decided to vote for anything rather than the Conservative party and as well the Bloc québécois in the province of Québec.

Two lessons: the left in Québec is deserting the Bloc québécois or is ready to talk about this taboo; especially significant, since the progressive intelligentsia has for years been linked to this party. Secondly the population is attached to the defence of culture. The same day (August 27th), Radio-Canada confirmed that more than a thousand artists and friends marched in Montréal to protest the cutbacks of 48,5 millions $, by the minority federal government. Even the mayor of the city, Gérald Tremblay was part of the demonstration.

Moreover, not only the Conservatives have been in power for just a few years and already the most cynical, rightist and fascist elements of the Canadian society looked up. They are against democratic rights. They are racists. They are opposed to women’s movements. They are full of hatred for immigrants, especially Moslems. They stand for a climate of vulgarity and coarseness. There is no room for love, friendship and harmony when they are around. We certainly need more than their “balanced” budget!

Meanwhile, The Gazette, in an editorial, lectured them in mid-August: “Stonewalling, heel-dragging and ad-hominem attacks might play well to some part of the Conservatives’ constituency, but most Canadians, we suspect, have no patience with Tory truculence on this issue. What makes all this particularly galling, and disappointing, is t hat the Conservatives won the last election largely because they promised a cleaner; more transparent government. The time has come for them to live up to those promises.”

They must be defeated. Canadians need freedom of thought, and the protection for the social liberties won over the last decades. Harper and the Conservatives must go. In Québec, an important battle ground in the coming elections, the Tories shall be fired, especially in Québec City celebrating its 400th anniversary. A political slip-up would tarnish our beautiful capital.

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A CASE OF DISCRIMINATION

Five Cuban citizens were dispatched by their government to enquiry into the Cuban community of Florida to prevent a new attempt to destabilize the life in the island and avoid a new terrorist attack. They reported the results to the US authorities. The government of the USA arrested them, sued them and scattered them in different jails. This occurred 10 years ago. Now, a movement of solidarity is growing to condemn this injustice, even members of the Canadian parliament criticized the decision of our southern neighbour, especially after the exposure of the arrest based on mere allegations. We entered in contact with them. Here is the reply of Antonio Guerrero: one of the Cuban 5.

“Dear Daniel Paquet,

Excuse me for my delay to reply to your letter. We had a long “lock down” and I have been very busy with legal issues and an art project.

In “my dictionary” there is not the word “demoralized”. We never will feel that way. You are right; we are free, totally free with our conviction and the solidarity that support us.

Today, Che’s example is more important and necessary than ever, because we live in a world that every day demands us to stand up and fight against so much poverty, exploitation, and inequality, so much arrogance from the rich and so much aggression and threats from the Empire. Today, Che’s example is indispensable in building the new world that we know is possible.

I reiterate our eternal gratitude to all our friends for their immense and unconditional support. With conviction I reaffirm: Venceremos! A great embrace from the 5.
USP Florence, Colorado, July 2nd

I send, in the name of the Five, a greeting to the readers of your bulletin. Your friend,

Antonio Guerrero “