Party slogan: “For the love of Quebec Solidaire”
Quebec Solidaire is a left-wing social democratic and sovereigntist party founded in 2006.
It was formed from a merger between Union des forces progressistes and Option Citoyenne.
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The members of the group are mainly activists and politicians who wrote Pour un Québec Solidaire, a document that presented an alternative analysis to the manifesto Pour un Québec lucide, which criticized the sovereignty movement as a distraction from the real issues surrounding the province.
Quebec Solidare gained its first seat in the National Assembly in 2008 when then co-spokesperson Amir Khadir was elected in Mercier.
In the 2012 elections, the party received its second when co-spokesperson, and former leader of Option Citoyenne, Françoise David, was elected in Gouin.
To read the party’s declaration of principles, click here.
After the 2012 provincial elections, Quebec Solidaire held 2 of the 125 seats in the National Assembly.
Quebec Solidaire’s leftist party platform, which has often been called too idealistic, focuses great attention on environmentalism, feminism, social justice and alter-globalism.
READ MORE: Marois takes jab at Quebec Solidaire
The group has come out strongly against discriminations including racism and homophobia, claiming that the Parti Quebecois’ proposed charter of values has not united Quebecers.
In late 2013, spokesperson Françoise David introduced Bill 398, called A Charter for Secularism, to offer an alternative to Bill 60.
At its core, Quebec Solidaire claims to be an alternative to what they call the province’s three “right-winged” parties: the Quebec Liberal Party, the Parti Quebecois and the Coalition Avenir Quebec.
The party also advocates for an independent Quebec, though they claim to have very different views from the Parti Quebecois on sovereignty.
To read Quebec Solidaire’s entire 2014 electoral platform, click here.
Party Leader: Andrés Fontecilla
Born in Chile, Andrés Fontecilla moved to Canada with his family in 1981.
He was named the president of Quebec Solidaire after spokesperson Amir Khadir resigned from his position in 2012.
Not long after, Françoise David announced she too was leaving the presidency of the party, although she insisted that she would stay on as its co-spokesperson.
Fontecilla’s political career began when he ran as a Union des forces progressistes candidate in Laurier-Dorion in 2004.
He came in third with 4.77 per cent of the vote, behind the candidates for the Parti Quebecois and the Quebec Liberal Party, who had 46.09 per cent and 43.15 per cent respectively.
In 2012, Fontecilla ran again, this time with Quebec Solidaire, coming in third with 24.33 per cent of the vote.
Key riding to watch:
Laurier-Dorion: Québec Solidaire’s new president, Andrés Fontecilla, seems to be in good hands, as he looks to claim the party’s third seat in the National Assembly.
Both former Quebec Solidaire spokespeople Françoise David and Amir Khadir claimed seats in the 2012 provincial elections.
Will it be third time’s a charm? Fontecilla has already run three times in Laurier-Dorion and he came in third place each time.
Laurier-Dorion has been held by the Quebec Liberal Party’s Gerry Sklavounos since 2007.
Watch: Quebec Solidaire proposes its own charter of values
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