There is growing pressure within Québec Solidaire to see women wearing party colors during the Jean-Talon by-election. The candidate who lost in the last election supports the concept of parity but has no intention of giving up his seat.
• Also read: Joëlle Boutin resigns: The PQ will hold its primary session in Jean-Talon
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Olivier Bolduc yesterday announced his intention to run again for riding in Quebec following the sudden retirement of Caquiste Joëlle Boutin.
However, the party executive, like the three candidates for Québec Solidaire co-chairmanship, would rather see women run for the nomination in order to skew a little more towards parity in the QS caucus. Currently there are eight men for only four women.
On Monday, shortly after Mr. Bolduc’s announcement, the President of QS sent a letter to Jean Talon activists, encouraging them to “make a strong commitment to a woman to wear the colors of the Quebec Solidaire in the upcoming by-election.”
“It doesn’t mean that Olivier Bolduc has to retire. It’s good for a party to have races. But obviously in the context of the current faction it is an opportunity for the addition of a new woman to the faction. That’s why we want women to start,” explains Émilise Lessard-Therrien, candidate to succeed Manon Massé as co-speaker next fall.
The former Rouyn-Noranda MP says she understands this could be “a confrontation for men” but argues the process is necessary because women have been evacuated from positions of power “for so long”.
“We need to have different points of view in these decision-making places if we are to ensure that our legislative assembly, this Parliament, is as representative as possible,” says Ms Lessard-Therrien.
an occasion
Christine Labrie also expressed her desire to see Jean-Talon as a candidate in the race to succeed Manon Massé. “I sincerely hope that this will be the opportunity to elect another woman to our group, and there is no shortage of talented women who are firmly entrenched in this field in Québec Solidaire!” she wrote on Facebook on July 19.
His colleague Ruba Ghazal, who is also aiming for the post of co-spokeswoman, had also called for the election of a woman after Joëlle Boutin resigned. “Unfortunately we still won’t have parity, but it would still be a small step forward,” she wrote on Facebook.
compulsory applications
During the last National Council, Québec Solidaire delegates voted in favor of a resolution aimed at “mandating female candidates in certain constituencies to maximize the possibility of achieving a parity group after the general election”.
In this sense, the party’s president urged Jean-Talon’s militants to favor a female candidacy, even if the formation does not yet have the powers to enforce such restrictions.
In an interview on LCN on Tuesday, Olivier Bolduc said he understood the process. “I totally agree that the ultimate goal is to have 50% men and 50% women in the National Assembly so that it reflects the population,” he said.
Despite everything, the debate must revolve around the quality of the candidacy, he added.
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