QUEBEC ELECTIONS
{The following: arti¢le’has been translated from the April- May issue of la lutte Cuvriére (The Workers Struggle), published in Montréal, Québec. J.
Since the founding of the ‘legislative assembly of the
Province of Québec in 1796, the people of Québec have always been faced with choosing between two bourgeois parties. Until the time of the Rebellion [1837-38], one of these two bourgeois parties represented progressive social forces and thus deserved the support of the working masses. However, since the bloody suppression of the Rebellion, the national bourgeoisie of Québec has proved itself incapable of resolving any of the national or social problems of the nation of Québec. Nevertheless, up to now, the people of Québec have had no choice but to vote for one of the two candidates put up as representatives of big capital in Québec.
However, with the beginning of the twentieth century, and with the proletarianization and urbanization of Québec, another social force. came on the scene --. the working class and its vanguard, organized in the trade-union. movement. This social force, which represents the vast majority of the population, has created all. the wealth which came with the industrialization of Québec. It | is this class which, by its labor, has built the mining and pulp and paper industries and which, in the last analysis, is responsible for all of the progress which the nation of Québec has achieved. It has organized itself into a powerful, but limited movement, the purely economic trade unions. But it has never carried the economic struggle to the political level. Political power remains in the hands of the bourgeoisie, the representatives of big capital. While it has carried on a relentless struggle against the capitalists in industry, the union movement has been unwilling to take the next step and wage a political struggle against the government and the state controlled by these same bosses.
Since the "peaceful revolution," the economic struggle has intensified and, indeed, the political struggle between the bourgeois government of the "brain stormers" and the working class has become more marked. The last congress of the FTQ [Force de Travail Québécois, the Catholic trade federation], saw the acceptance of a resolution proposing the formation of a labor party. Also, Travail [Labor], the official organ of the CSN [Confédération des ‘Syndicats Nationaux] , the independent trade-union federation of Québec, has
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begun to talk in ‘terms of politicsi-The time has passed when the Laberges ‘and the Rancourts could épénly support the Liberal party of Lesage and Lévesque, and when-dean Marchand, the head of the’ CSN, could’call the idea of'a labor party in Québec immoral. The strikes at Régie des Alcools,’-at® “Hydro-Québec , at Manic;.the strikes of the teachers and the students;,°plus the use of injunctions =: against all strikes, and against SPEQ [the teachers and students union] in particular; have: given the working class of Québec. empirical proof that the Class” struggle is above all a political struggle. ; LEG
However, in spite. of their’ ‘fine: words and resolutions, it seems certain that the uAfion leaders have no intention of actually: fighting against the political power of the employers. Once again, they will support the Liberal party, the party of’ the Québec. employers, by abstaining.
Our two traditional parties, the reds and the blues, will take to the hustings once again but there will probably be four more new parties which will wheel and deal for votes. The Rassemblement pour 1'Indépendance Nationale [RIN] .is running on a program of "national liberation" which, according to its leader Pierre Bourgault, would leave American "big business" intact. The Québec that the RIN wants ‘to’ ‘liberate is merely a collection: of abstract essences Called "Québec" since the RIN is' not ready to attack,the ~ foundatiors ‘of capitalism, which is the: essential prerequisite: | for the genuine: zibération of the “people of Québec. 7 a ;
By the admission of its leader, the Ral liement National. “is a a coalition of right-wing nationalists and Créditistes [supporters of the social credit schemes which were.‘the basis. of the old Social: Credit party; a demagogic petty-bourgeois formation]. Seeks to represent the "professional bourgeoisie. ". a. mo,
“It appears. also that still another new: party will emerge, the Conservative party of Québec, an English party, a thoroughly anti- Quebec and antiworking-class party.
The working class of ‘Québec will have. a worthwhile alternative to the bourgeois parties in a limited number of districts. Making, perhaps, the most important decision in its history, the Parti Socialiste du Québec [PSQ] decided at its last congress, on. March 6, to run as many candidates as possible, commensurate with its financial and organizational resources. The-program and longterm objectives of the PSQ make it a party which ean represent the. working class in a real sense. Indeed, of all the parties which will run“in the elections, the PSQ.represents the only real alternative to the bourgeois or petty-bourgeois parties. It is incun-. . bent on every unionist, every worker and every socialist to give it his active support. The PSQ. can become the party of the unions which was invoked in ‘the resolution of the FTQ and can give the. — CSN the. opportunity . to do more than’ alk about politics. Lae
But the PSQ will run in only a dozen districts at weak aba
workers in other districts will again be faced with a choice of
voting for one or another bourgeois party. Since the official union leadership is prepared to abstain or vote liberal, the union locals and local labor councils should apply the congress resolutions and the "fine words" of the union papers themselves. They should run ‘their own candidates. They should demand that the leadership nake the labor party a reality by supporting the PSQ.
In the. final analysis, it is necessary that all. those. who speak for labor break with the bourgeois parties and begin to build a working-class party now, which will be capable of forming a workers and farmers government in Québec. The only way to do this in the current elections is to support the party and the candidates which can represent the workers and to run independent union candidates.
For a workers party; for a. workers and. farmers government!
Support the PSQ and run union candidates!
DID KY SIGN