Quebec got a new political party this week in The Canadian Party of Quebec (CaPQ). Although the new group is still taking the steps needed to be formally recognized, its founding members shared a statement of principles on Tuesday aiming to spread the word about what they stand for.
The party was founded by members of the Exploratory Committee on Political Options which, itself, emerged out of the Task Force on Linguistic policy formed in response to Quebec’s language law reform Bill 96, last summer.
Colin Standish, who has been at the forefront of each version of this group over the months, said that when the Task Force failed to accomplish its goal of having Bill 96 withdrawn entirely, the membership saw two possibilities ahead: a legal response that could be expensive and drawn out, or the option to mobilize as a political party and let voters decide.
“The Canadian Party of Quebec/Parti canadien du Québec will be an unapologetically federalist party that tirelessly works for minority rights, socioeconomic justice, and linguistic harmony”, Standish wrote in announcing the creation of the party.”
Although the path the group has taken to become a party might lead people to believe it is a one-issue political organization, the spokesperson told The Record that the “Statement of Principles” published alongside the announcement is meant to highlight the group’s interest in putting together a broad and carefully considered platform.
The party’s six founding principles are:
1. Rights are Rights are Rights: To assert that the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms is the fundamental law of Quebec and to support court challenges.
2. Respecting the Integrity of the Canadian Constitution
3. full support for English/French bilingualism
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