Last october, the Quebec Liberal Party held its 31st Members’ Convention. This event was the ultimate step in an extensive year-long reflection process. In fact, four working groups had been formed in order to flesh out a new political program for the QLP. Presiding over these groups were four individuals who empersonate youth, experience and audacity: David Skitt, Simon-Pierre Diamond, Caroline Trudel and Benoit Pelletier, who tackled the issues of “a Quebec that generates wealth”, “a Quebec for our children”, “a Quebec in good health” and “a Quebec open to the world”, respectively.
Thousands of citizens voiced their opinions on these four themes over the course of national colloquiums that took place in Trois-Rivière, Rimouski, Gatineau and Boucherville during the Spring of 2011. Over 2100 people participated in these events and yet these numbers, it must in be said, do not include the thousands of internet users who joined online and participated from afar.
Here is the outcome of their labor, the framework resolution that will be the subject of the debates during the QLP’s 31st Members’ Convention.
DAVID SKITT, president
GENERATING THE WEALTH THAT QUEBECERS SHARE
David Skitt is Vice-President of Synchro Sports, a company specializing in the organization of major sports events.
He is also the founder and director of the Desjardins Montreal Open, a prestigious golf tournament featuring PGA champions that increases the visibility of Montreal and the province abroad.
He is also involved in various social causes through organizations such as Leucan and the Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation. David Skitt was very involved with Montreal’s junior chamber of commerce, the Jeune chambre de commerce de Montréal (2002-2006). In 2008, he was appointed President of the Regroupement des jeunes chambres de commerce du Québec, an organization that promotes, represents and defends the interests of young businesspeople throughout Quebec.
SIMON-PIERRE DIAMOND, president
A QUEBEC FOR ITS CHILDREN
Simon-Pierre Diamond has been involved in active political life since the age of 15. Among other things, he was President of the ADQ Youth Commission from 2004 to 2007. At the age of 22, he was elected to the National Assembly, becoming the youngest MNA in Quebec history. While performing this role, he completed his law degree from the Université de Montréal.
In the National Assembly, he acted as official opposition critic for the environment and sustainable development. Defeated in the 2008 general election, he became the ADQ general manager. Disillusioned by the direction his political party was taking, he left this position to successfully appear before the bar. He joined the Quebec Liberal Party in 2010 and was the party’s candidate in the Vachon by-election. He was sworn in as a member of the bar last December.
Simon-Pierre Diamond strongly believes in getting involved; that’s why throughout his young career he has taken part in various committees, assignments and organizations working for youth.
CAROLINE TRUDEL, president
TAKING CARE OF THOSE WE LOVE
With a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the Université de Montréal and member of the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec since August 1999, Caroline Trudel has practised her profession under several well-known corporate banners.
A talented communicator, she has succeeded in sharing her passion for her profession. In September 2000, she was named Pharmaprix’s “Quebec pharmacist of the year” for her involvement as conference speaker and student mentor, her active participation in recruiting new pharmacists and her community involvement.
From 2003 to 2010, Caroline Trudel was guest speaker in the Université Laval pharmacy faculty course “Médicaments de vente libre.” Very involved politically, she has been active in the Quebec Liberal Party since 1993. Caroline is married and the mother of a two-year-old boy.
BENOÎT PELLETIER, president
A QUEBEC OPEN TO THE WORLD
A graduate of Université Laval, the University of Ottawa, Université de Paris I (Panthéon-Sorbonne) and Université d’Aix-Marseille III, Benoît Pelletier was a regular faculty member at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law from 1990 to 1998 and assistant dean from 1996 to 1998.
Elected Liberal MNA for Chapleau in 1998, Benoît Pelletier has held several positions, including Minister Responsible for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, Francophones within Canada, and Aboriginal Affairs. He returned to teaching in 2008 with the civil law section of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law.
He is the author of numerous scientific publications, including a major treatise on the amendment of the Canadian Constitution (published in 1996). He has been the keynote speaker at many conferences in Canada and abroad. He has also been invited as a guest professor at the universities of Nantes, Corsica, Paris II, Paris V and Lyon III.
He was awarded the title of Public Policy Scholar by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington on two occasions, in 2007 and 2009. Benoît Pelletier has just had a major political essay entitled, “Une certaine idée du Québec. Parcours d’un fédéraliste. De la réflexion à l’action,” published by Presses de l’Université Laval.
GENERATING THE WEALTH THAT QUEBECERS SHARE
The financial crisis of 2008, which led to the worst worl wide recession since the 1930’s, has thourougly transformed the world economy.
Western countries will no longer be the engine of global growth. It will be propelled instead by emerging economies, BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries chief among them, all of them already fierce competitors to Quebec businesses.
At the same time and for the same reasons, worldwide demand for natural resources is and will likely remain strong.
This new economic context brings on its share of cha lenges for Quebec’s economy. We will have to meet them while dealing with demographic changes that could affect the availability of welleducated and adequately trained workers.
A QUEBEC FOR ITS CHILDREN
The whole raison d’être of any government is to improve the eople’s quality of life. In this section, we adress four areas of policy action that have a direct impact on the quality of life of Quebecers young and old.
First is education, where talent flourishes and where the realization of dreams start. We propose a series of ideas to make education a lever of prosperity and accomplishment for Quebec, and help young Quebecers reach the highest international standards.
Second is support for families, the starting point for anyone’s life. Quebec is a paradise for families. We put forth propos tions to help families better manage life-work balance.
Third is the protection of the environment, whereby we pr vide future generations with healthy surroundings and the preservation of our natural heritage. We submit propositions so that Quebec can continue being a worldwide leader in sustability.
Fourth is culture, which defines Quebec as a nation and allows every one of us to grow roots. We aim to leverage our cultural creativity to generate pride and prosperity.
TAKING CARE OF THOSE WE LOVE
The QLP is the party that has created the Quebec healthcare system, and we consider it a pillar of social justice.
Yet, in the mid- to late 1990’s, the government of the PQ has taken decisions that have proven disastrous. Only in Montreal, seven hospitals were closed. Some 1,500 physicians and 4,200 nurses were forced into retirement.
The QLP government has acted to rectify the situation. Since 2003, more than 11 billion dollars of new money was invested in the healthcare system. The number of admissions in medicine faculties has doubled. Overall, the number of people on a waiting list for surgery was cut in half.
Nevertheless, trends such as population ageing and the increase in the birthrate have continued to create strong pressure on the network. Demand for care is still growing. Containing that growth without compromising quality of life will require a gradual shift to a medicine of comprehensive caring, one that can successfully prevent the kind of health deterioration that leads to frequent hospitalizations.
A QUEBEC OPEN TO THE WORLD
Since the QLP came to power, Québec has been more open to the world. It has explored new markets and made its presence felt at many major international forums. The QLP government has sought to push back the frontiers of Quebec and open new vistas where Quebec talent can shine.
he QLP government created a new environment of workforce mobility with France, and taken the lead in the continuous improvement of the Canadian social and economic union, thanks to the creation of the Council of the Federation. It is a QLP government who made sure that the asymmetric principle would find a practical application in a historical agreement on healthcare.
Being open to the world obviously starts at home.
This confidence in what Quebec is today, but also in everything it has the capacity of becoming, is exactly what motivates the QLP and orients each of its actions. This confidence that Quebecers have what it takes to be among the best in the world is what nourishes our desire to compete on every market. We certainly have all the talent needed to play — and win— at the globalization game.