Marois, Legault, Charest, David and everyone in between

In the Quebec election campaign, there has been much discussion over not what the parties’ best interests are, but who their interests are.

In the Liberal Party, the Anglophone upper class is more represented. In 2005, Jean Charest promised he would keep daycare fees at $5/day. The same year had a student strike of one month when his government wanted to cut $103 million to the grant and loans program. Seven years later, not only are daycare fees at $7/day, the issue of tuition dominated 2012 since he sat with unions for only thirty minutes.

Alas, the Plan Nord, that would not only cost $80 billion, but would clear some of the last virgin land in the country, risking the homes of First Nations- and by First, as in, the people who came here before us.

 

Looking at the CAQ, what Francois Legault believes in is puzzling. He was with the Parti Québécois and one day had the epiphany that he “doesn’t need to be a sovereignist to be in love with our language”. His partnership with Duchesneau only gives more questions than answers. However, he mainly represents the older population, including trying to reform how the elderly are taken care of in retirement homes.

Québec Solidaire is clearly the most left that mainly reflects views of the younger generation. Although, don’t let the sound of casseroles be deceitful; they are not the only party that showed support to students, as certain media outlets are quick to forget… Their views inspire from Denmark and how we can truly change things by stirring the wheel toward an eco-friendly society and free education.

Parti Québécois under Pauline Marois is likely a special case. The law on laïcité is unfair to some, since many believe living in a free society has to do with freedom of religion. There is the constant debate in PQ over accepting others, even with their candidate Djemila Benhabib- unless somehow one can be against their own culture.

How much is too much? How much is too little? Yet how can we talk respect when we don’t respect our own? This is not one-sided. Yes, certain Francophones are judgmental toward English speakers. However no one mentions when the tables are turned. Historical references aside, the majority of our television, music, and radio is English, most of it seen from American media, even though 80% of the population has French as a mother tongue.

 

No one should be dismissed for their religion, race, or language, or any differences. It is to note that the party mainly represents Francophones and single mothers, with mandates such as keeping abortion legal, arriving to a consensus on tuition and freezing daycare fees.

This is not about values or which is better, because the fact is they each represent their own. Quebecers wonder the day where we will have a party that represents all, yet to weigh on some more than others is disingenuous.