Get involved
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Individual political involvement is a cornerstone of democracy. It makes for better informed public debate, with more ideas to ponder and, above all, it dispels cynicism.
If the history and values espoused by the Quebec Liberal Party are so intertwined with those of Quebec, it is precisely because the QLP has always seen fit to protect, encourage and develop the participation of citizens to the progress of our society. For 143 years now, the commitment of exceptional men and women has led Liberal governments to accomplish great strides forward in Quebec’s economic, social and cultural development.
Unfortunately, over the past few months, some Opposition parties have reverted to a questionable political strategy: sowing doubt, whispering rumours, deflecting media attention. Those kinds of anonymous, partisan and unfounded slanders can, thanks to parliamentary immunity, prove remarkably effective weapons. But the collateral damage is high, as it erodes citizens’ trust and feed cynicism towards all political parties.
Meanwhile, the real issues – healthcare, education, families – end up on the sidelines of democratic debate.
Yet, over the past few years, Quebec has undergone a tremendous spurt of development. By extending Quebec’s economic horizons, Jean Charest and his Liberal government have initiated a major repositioning of Quebec in the world economy. To the North and South, East and West, new projects are launched, new alliances struck and great enterprises begun.
We owe to this foresight the fact that all indicators now confirm that Quebec has dodged the bullet following one of the worst financial crises the world has ever know, coming out of a mild recession in better shape than nearly all its Canadian, American and European partners. Gradually, the Quebec model is coming to mean what it should have always meant, a path others are eager to imitate.
Cynicism is the main obstacle along this path, so it is more important than ever that political involvement ceases to become a shortcut to tarnished reputations. Only our ambitions to overcome them are greater than the challenges ahead of us.