After securing a historic surge of support in Monday night’s election, Manon Massé has a message for the new premier-designate: Québec Solidaire is watching.
In the Quebec election, Massé and Québec Solidaire won a record number of 10 seats, up from their previous three, and made it clear the party views itself as a watchdog ready to hold the new Coalition Avenir Quebec majority government to account, particularly when it comes to ethical and environmental matters.
READ MORE: François Legault leads Coalition Avenir Québec to majority as Liberals ousted from power
“Mr. Legault, on your shoulders you have a historic responsibility,” she said to the soon-to-be premier from the podium.
“If you cede like others have always done before you and you cede to the pressures of money and lobbying, you will find us in your way.”
WATCH BELOW: CAQ wins majority of seats
Québec Solidaire more than doubled their number of seats in the election.
That surge came not only in Montreal, where the party was formed but from across the province as well.
One of those seats had belonged to Jean-François Lisée, who resigned as leader of the Parti Québécois shortly after.
READ MORE: Parti Québécois Leader Jean-François Lisée steps down after losing own riding of Rosemont
Massé thanked supporters in her speech amid chants and cheers from the crowd.
“Today, you are cultivating what you sowed,” she told them.
“Our movement is bigger, stronger and more resolute than ever. Québec Solidaire is not a party simply from Montreal’s Plateau-Mont-Royal. Québec Solidaire is the party for people who want things to change for real.”
“To all those who have just joined us,” she continued, “to all of those who have braved attacks and labels, today I would personally like to say to you, ‘Welcome here.'”
READ MORE: Here are 5 key promises made by the CAQ
She vowed to continue fighting for sovereignty and the environment, and took aim at the new NAFTA deal announced on Sunday as having seen “farmers set aside by the federal government last night in the name of the Ontario automobile industry.”
And while premier-elect François Legault may have won a majority of the seats, he did not win a majority of the vote.
Massé vowed to”pick up the pilgrim stick” and make sure he remembers that.
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