The Solidarity MNA for Mercier, Ruba Ghazal is launching the race to become co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire, this is the first official candidacy.
“I have been a founding member of Québec solidaire since 2006 and I want to go even further with the party’s social project,” she said in an interview with LCN.
The campaign will run for 13 weeks and spokespersons will be elected during the QS convention at the end of November.
Québec solidaire has carried the independence project since its founding and is part of the party’s DNA, according to Ms. Ghazal.
“We talk about independence within Québec solidaire, we are several deputies to do it, but it is not heard enough”, explains the politician. “It’s a social cohesion project to bring all Quebecers together around a common project.”
Québec solidaire maintains in its electoral platform that it is essential to affirm the use of the language while promoting Québec diversity.
Ms. Ghazal believes that this fight must continue, but must not be at the expense of the inclusion of immigrants.
“In Bill 96, there were a lot of positive elements, but in this project there was a very problematic element,” says Ms. Ghazal. “It’s not true that 6 months after arriving in Quebec, immigrants can speak French.”
Ms Ghazal hopes to have a much wider reach than the party currently has.
In the 2022 provincial elections, the objective for the party was to make gains, especially outside Montreal, but Québec solidaire had won only one more deputy in the National Assembly.
Moreover, the party suffered a major loss with the defeat of Émilise Lessard-Therrien, outgoing MP for Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue, in Abitibi.
Ms. Ghazal now wishes to expand the party’s presence throughout the province.
“I have proposals so that the voice of our members who are in the regions is heard and that they have seats where decisions are made,” she explains.
