The bloc members praised their leader, as well as the consensus, at the convention in Drummondville. The most controversial decisions were rejected from the beginning, others did not have time to be discussed in the plenary assembly. As a result, activists from Bloc Québécois agreed on broad principles that most of them already supported.
A party strategist opined on the sidelines of the congress at the weekend that the independence movement has “cut up” and that it has become “more pragmatic”. In the hallways of the Drummondville Conference Center, Bloc members – especially those who went through a few crises between 2014 and 2019 – barely hid their smiles to see that this year’s meeting did not give rise to any “psychodrama”.
Leader, Yves Francois Blanchethad the right to support from 97.25% of its activists, in his very first vote of confidence. In the plenary session on Sunday, only one decision was rejected by delegates out of 121 considered.
There were still disagreements. Proposals regarding the unification of separatist forces under the grand bloc tent or secularism have created the greatest debate.
The bloc has thus again this year discussed what place should be given to militants from various independence parties on the provincial stage.
If they refused exclusively to support Parti Quebecois (PQ), Bloc delegates agreed to pledge to “bring together separatists of all stripes” while acknowledging the “historic and privileged ties that unite” the Bloc and the PQ. However, one young militant, Félix-Antoine Breault, worried that this recognition would put off the militants of the late Option nationale and their desire to lend a hand to the bloc. “It is a wasted and easily recoverable potential,” he said without convincing the majority.
Yves-François Blanchet refused to see this joint vote as turmoil or heartbreak. The party has merely repeated its historic position, he replied at a press briefing on Sunday.
A little later, the delegates decided that their party should defend the positions of the majority in the National Assembly, and not just those of the sitting government. “It would make it possible not to be obliged to support a government that wants a motorway tunnel that we don’t want”, argued activist Simon Marchand.
Secularism, with nuances
As for the debate on secularism, this also revealed small disagreements. Activists were concerned to see a resolution stating that the state “must not recognize, pay or subsidize any cult” and that “only secularism protects [les valeurs progressistes et égalitaires] against dogma and religious fundamentalism”.
“If we use the word ‘cult,’ we will be hit in the head,” argued Florence Gosselin. It too ignored the majority.
Another proposal condemning any attempt to prevent Quebec from establishing secularism and condemning a person in a position of authority to wear religious symbols was also divided at the time of the vote.
The president of the Youth Forum, Rose Lessard, admitted to being uncomfortable with this part of the Quebec State Secularism Act. “Quebec is also everyone’s Quebec. And every person who wants to work can work with what he hears as signs”, she added Dutyin his own opinion.
However, the general principle of secularism is not discussed among young bloc members, she insisted. Mr Blanchet did the same in a press briefing afterwards. “There is room [au Bloc] for all debates, all topics, all discussions”, he assured.
The immigration debate avoided
The proposals from the activists most likely to be talked about, however, have been rejected.
Those on immigration: its volume that should respect the reception capacity or irregular immigration “and those who use it to weaken Quebec”.
Two others, who determined that the lack of full powers in immigration from Quebec represented an “obstacle to social cohesion”, had been rejected Saturdayin the subcommittee.
Bloc MPs strongly opposed it, at the microphone and behind the scenes, in discussion with delegates.
Yves-François Blanchet denied that a password had been given to avoid controversy. On the contrary, he called on his deputies to leave the floor to the militants, the leader insisted.
Blanchet also rejected the idea that the delegates wanted to avoid throwing the bloc into the same embarrassment as Future Quebec Coalitionsince the premiere in Quebec, Francois Legaultlinked “national cohesion” to the decline in French and non-French immigration.
However, his deputies had admitted to wanting to avoid the same criticism.
Precedence in Quebec and judicial “excesses”
Apart from these brief debates, bloc members proceeded largely by consensus. They agreed to demand federal suffrage from the age of 16, to allow young people to be party members from the age of 14, to oppose positive “discrimination” in the awarding of university research chairs, to campaign for the decriminalization of simple drug possession and for the abolition of the Senate.
All resolutions requiring Quebec laws and the Quebec environmental assessment process to take precedence over their federal counterparts were also passed. The protection of the French language was vigorously defended.
On the other hand, the delegates ran out of time to decide on the idea of Quebec appointing all the federal judges in its territory or rejecting “the judicial excesses of the Supreme Court of Canada when they affect the exclusive jurisdiction of Quebec”.
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