Q u é b e c ’s V o ic e a n d a Ch o ic e fo r a D iffe re n t Ca n a d a Fe d e ra lis m , S o c ia l-D e m o c ra c y a n d th e Q u é b e c Q u e s tio n S ta te m e n t a d o p te d b y th e G e n e ra l Co u n c il o f th e N D P Q u é b e c S e c tio n 20 0 5 Q U É B E C’S V O ICE A N D A CH O ICE FO R A D IFFE R E N T CA N A D A FE D E R A L IS M , S O CIA L -D E M O CR A CY A N D TH E Q U É B E C Q U E S TIO N Ta b le o f Co n te n ts 1. A social democratic government in Canada...........................................................................................................3 2. Federalism and social democracy.............................................................................................................................4 3. Recognition of Québec’s national character...........................................................................................................4 4. Asymmetrical federalism............................................................................................................................................5 5. W orking together and with respect: cooperative federalism................................................................................6 6. Québec’s right to self-determination.......................................................................................................................7 7. The future.....................................................................................................................................................................8 Statement adopted in French by the General Council of the NDP (Quebec Section) in Sherbrooke on May 7th, 2005. Text edited by the Policy Committee of the NDP (Quebec Section) on October 26th, 2005. 2 N E W D E M O CR A TIC P A R TY ( Q U É B E C S E CTIO N ) Q U É B E C’S V O ICE A N D A CH O ICE FO R A D IFFE R E N T CA N A D A FE D E R A L IS M , S O CIA L -D E M O CR A CY A N D TH E Q U É B E C Q U E S TIO N 1 . A s o c ia l d e m o c ra tic g o v e rn m e n t in Ca n a d a he New Democratic Party aims to form the The New Democratic Party feels it has a duty to Government of Canada. It is once in spell out its stand on the issue of Québec’s place T government that we will be able to in Canada. The NDP has to be clear and implement concretely the progressive social consistent on the issue, not only for Quebeckers, democratic values and policies that shape our but for all Canadians. As social democrats, we commitment. have to present and communicate our own vision of federal-provincial If it is to truly and Th e q u e s tio n o f th e p la c e o f Q u é b e c in relations, especially legitimately form the when it comes to Government of Ca n a d a w ill b e s o lv e d w ith g o o d fa ith , Québec. W e cannot Canada one day, the fle x ib ility a n d re c o g n itio n , n o t w ith c o rru p te d simply follow the lead NDP must have of other parties in that strong support p ro g ra m s area. throughout the country. Specifically, that means that the NDP This declaration is a complement to and a has to make significant inroads in Québec in the clarification of the Social Democratic Forum on medium and long term. The Québec question has the Future of Canada adopted by the 1999 federal all too often been a stumbling block for the NDP. convention; it does not make obsolete the other However, Québec must become the cornerstone positions taken earlier, such as the ones on of a movement aiming to form a government. bilingualism, multiculturalism, Aboriginal rights, reform of federal institutions, and so on. This Since Confederation, Canada has been governed declaration, like the Social Democratic Forum on by either the Liberals or the Conservatives. the Future of Canada Report, represents Today, the Bloc québécois not only relegates framework resolutions, which guide the Quebeckers to a reactive and defensive role, but interpretation of other positions that have already also splits the vote and undermines the been taken or that may be taken in the future. emergence of a united left in Canada. The ideas and approaches in this document can, The New Democratic Party denounces in a large part, be applied in the present context particularly the lack of vision of the Liberal Party without formal constitutional reform. However, of Canada which brought us directly to, for the fact Québec did not sign the Constitution is a example, to the Adscam. The question of the real untenable problem in the long term. place of Québec in Canada will be solved with Therefore, we are aiming in the medium term to good faith, flexibility and recognition, not with get results that could allow Québec to embrace corrupted programs. W e have now a chance to the Canadian constitutional framework. The propose a new vision of federalism, with vision presented in the next pages, particularly on progressive and social democratic values that we the recognition of Québec’ distinctiveness, could share with a majority of Quebeckers. contribute to this. N E W D E M O CR A TIC P A R TY ( Q U É B E C S E CTIO N ) 3 Q U É B E C’S V O ICE A N D A CH O ICE FO R A D IFFE R E N T CA N A D A FE D E R A L IS M , S O CIA L -D E M O CR A CY A N D TH E Q U É B E C Q U E S TIO N 2. Fe d e ra lis m a n d s o c ia l d e m o c ra c y ederalism is a political structure based on to ensure a fair and cooperative society for the the principle of division of powers good of the individuals, communities and peoples F between a Federal State (country) and which make up that society. federated States (provinces, cantons, etc.). It is essentially a system of shared sovereignty that The New Democratic Party, unlike the Liberal or implies respect for specific areas of jurisdiction. Conservative Parties, believes that society cannot The provincial governments, therefore, are not be based solely on the primacy of the individual. simply “subcontractors” of the federal W e have to rethink the commonalities between a government. A State built on the principle of new vision of social democracy and a new vision federalism is different from a Unitarian state, of federalism. That necessary process has to be where all government power is concentrated at a based on the principles of common good, single central level. collective rights, democracy, social and political involvement, respect for communities of origin, The New Democratic Party believes that, in the solidarity, cooperation, etc. Canadian context, a federal state is the best way 3. R e c o g n itio n o f Q u é b e c ’s n a tio n a l c h a ra c te r or decades, many expressions were used to i. a primarily Francophone society in which try to name the “Québec difference” and French is recognized as the language of F its special relation with the rest of Canada work and the common public language; such as the “founding people”, “distinct society”, ii. a specific culture, unique in America, that “unique character”, etc. In August 1999, the is expressed by a sense of identity with Social Democratic Forum on the Future of and belonging to Québec; Canada referred to the recognition of Quebeckers iii. a specific history; as a “people”. Our 2004 election platform iv. its own political, economic, cultural and specifically mentioned recognition of the Québec social institutions, including government “nation”. The time has now come to reaffirm institutions and institutions in civil and clarify that concept. society. The New The people of Democratic Party Th e N e w D e m o c ra tic P a rty re c o g n iz e s th e Québec, especially recognizes the since the Quiet national character n a tio n a l c h a ra c te r o f Q u é b e c a n d b e lie v e s Revolution, have of Québec and th a t th a t c h a ra c te r c a n b e e x p re s s e d in th e expressed a clear believes that that c o n te x t o f th e Ca n a d ia n fe d e ra tio n . desire to « Vivre character can be ensemble » and build expressed in the a social and political context of the Canadian federation. project based on solidarity. The construction of a modern state and a social blueprint for The national character of Québec is based Quebeckers has centered around the Québec primarily, but not exclusively, on: State. W e commend Quebeckers for establishing institutions allowing them to develop differently in linguistic, social, cultural and economic terms.