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New left-wing political party forms in Quebec

by Open-Publishing - Saturday 11 February 2006

Parties Canada-Québec

A new left-wing party has sprung up in Quebec, and it could cut into the Parti Quebecois’ base of support.

Quebec Solidaire is being born of a union between two left-wing groups in the province — L’union Des Forces Progressives and Option Citoyenne.

The two groups say they will provide the true leftist voice in Quebec politics.

"We bring a new alternative. We bring values like solidarity, ecology, equality between men and women and I think we are the only party that brings that," said Francoise David, one of the new party’s leaders.

She came from Option Citoyenne.

We have to be more united, we have to be stronger," said Amir Kadhir, of L’union Des Forces Progressives.

He said Quebec Solidaire will support sovereignty, but said they won’t put the same emphasis on it as the Parti Quebecois.

"Separatism is not a goal for us by no ways. It’s not an end in itself. What we are here for is social justice," Kadhir said.

While the new party promises to appeal to all linguistic groups and people of an environmentalist, feminist, socialist bent, the PQ said that won’t win a referendum.

"If you’re a sovereigntist, you have to take on the challenge of sovereignty. That means winning an election and calling a referendum," said Monique Richard, the PQ’s president.

But one political analyst thinks Quebec Solidaire could provide an interesting option in the next provincial election, which could happen in 2007 or possibly in 2008.

"It’s bad news for the Parti Quebecois and the reason is the Parti Quebecois has to unite all the so called sovereignist forces and they haven’t done it," said John Parisella.

New PQ leader Andre Boisclair is considered conservative on fiscal issues and progressive on social ones. He came under some attack from left-wing PQ members during the party’s recent leadership campaign.

Premier Jean Charest’s Liberals have a conservative orientation, with Charest trying to eliminate his province’s deficit, shrink the size of government and reduce taxes.

With a report from CTV Montreal’s Paul Karwatsky

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