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Amir Khadir steps aside as co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire
Sun, 2012-11-04 22:49
#1
Amir Khadir steps aside as co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire
Sun, 2012-11-04 22:58
#2
In a [url=http://www.quebecsolidaire.net/amir-khadir-ne-briguera-pas-de-nouveau-le... to the membership[/url], dated November 1 but released today, Amir Khadir announces that he will not run again for the role of co-spokesperson, which he has shared with Françoise David since the founding of the party, at the party's national council Nov. 30 - Dec. 2.
Amir says that as the sole MNA of the party, he was long called upon to speak more than his share. He also talks about QS's socialist ideology, which excludes any form of cult of the personality, and how he has long dreamed of making that point dramatically by showing that no one is irreplaceable. He also notes that in 2008, the party bylaws were amended to provide that at least one of the two spokespersons must be extra-parliamentary. Given that Françoise has now been elected - and given the resolutely feminist character of QS - he feels it is his turn to step aside and make room for someone new. Meanwhile, he proposed to Françoise that she run again, and she accepted.
Amir closes by putting everyone on notice: "You won't be losing your first elected MNA! When it comes to politics, it'll be hard for me to change my habit of taking up a lot of room. I only hope you won't regret that too often!"
Cheers and applause for the outstanding contributions of Amir Khadir, past and future!
Sun, 2012-11-04 23:20
#3
A class act - thanks for this Unionist!
Mon, 2012-11-05 16:54
#4
love is free
this is really good news for the party. françoise is an excellent leadership figure and, though amir is great, he's very controversial. another co-leader right now would also very likely be another guaranteed seat whenever the next election comes around (betting next one is sainte marie-saint jacques).
Mon, 2012-11-05 19:07
#5
Catchfire
Canada's greatest parlimentarian.
Mon, 2012-11-05 19:32
#6
Wow, that's an amazing statement, and a very principled reason for stepping aside. Good for him!
Mon, 2012-11-05 19:58
#7
Indeed, Catchfire (though I'm also very impressed by my Federal MP, Alexandre Boulerice). First time in my life I've won all my elections. (I'm in Françoise's riding, on the Quebec level).
Mon, 2012-11-05 21:12
#8
Same here, since moving to Toronto-Danforth. :) Although, if I'd waited in Davenport just a couple more years, I could have enjoyed the sweet victories there too...but I even got the municipal candidate I voted for here in T-D, whereas I'd still be stuck with Caesar Palacio had I stayed where I was in Davenport. (For those outside the Centre Of The Universe, he's a right-wing councillor who has been in office for multiple terms.)
Mon, 2012-11-05 22:47
#9
Catchfire
lagatta, I was in Ottawa a few weeks back and attended Question Period. I was mostly disgusted at the travesty "parliament" (sic) had become and the petty games almost everyone was playing. The one stand out moment came when, after constant hectoring and taunting from dipshit Pierre Poilievre who demanded if he "loved Canada" since he had the gall to donate to Québec Solidaire "19 times," Alexandre Boulerice finally responded in a fit of pique:
M. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NPD):J'aime le Canada, j'aime le Québec et j'aime Montréal, mais j'aime d'abord les gens, et jamais je ne les laisserais se rendre malade avec de la viande avariée comme les conservateurs le font.
Some honourable members: Oh! Oh!
It was awesome.
Mon, 2012-11-05 23:03
#10
He's a CUPE brother. What less did you expect? 
Tue, 2012-11-06 08:50
#11
lagatta, I was in Ottawa a few weeks back and attended Question Period. I was mostly disgusted at the travesty "parliament" (sic) had become and the petty games almost everyone was playing. The one stand out moment came when, after constant hectoring and taunting from dipshit Pierre Poilievre who demanded if he "loved Canada" since he had the gall to donate to Québec Solidaire "19 times," Alexandre Boulerice finally responded in a fit of pique:
M. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NPD):J'aime le Canada, j'aime le Québec et j'aime Montréal, mais j'aime d'abord les gens, et jamais je ne les laisserais se rendre malade avec de la viande avariée comme les conservateurs le font.
Some honourable members: Oh! Oh!
It was awesome.
I'd like to see a highlight reel of the NDP serving up the Conservatives over Question Period all the time. I liked Charlie Angus' response to the Conservatives making fun of him rapping at convention.
Tue, 2012-11-06 09:47
#12
That was great; I hadn't happened to catch that particular one. Boulerice gets quotes on Radio-Canada a lot, as he gives great soundbites. CUPE brother and their communications agent here.
Here is his blog: www.boulerice.org
Michelle, yes I knew who Caesar Palacio was. A friend of mine is a social worker in Toronto and spends her after-work hours facing off against the Ford bros, Palacio and the other shite. She also has a son entering adolescence, so as you can well imagine, she is utterly exhausted!
My city councillor is Projet Montréal (François Limoges) but all the crap at Mtl city hall means environmentally-friendly planning initiatives get delayed. The bicycle lane planned on my street for years now will just be completed in the spring - if all goes well. The community centre (with a public swimming pool and other fitness equipment) and library planned for a former city building and adjacent terrain a bit south of here (just east of métro Rosemont) has been on hold for years too, and is finally getting renovated/built.
Tue, 2012-11-06 14:55
#13
Wonderful statement by Amir Khadir...and I'm looking forward to seeing who the new co-spokeperson is. When will that selection be made and by what means?
Tue, 2012-11-06 23:41
#14
Wonderful statement by Amir Khadir...and I'm looking forward to seeing who the new co-spokeperson is. When will that selection be made and by what means?
The National Council will choose the extra-parliamentary spokesperson (who also serves as president of the party) at its meeting of Nov. 30 - Dec. 2. I wonder if it will be [url=http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilie_Guimond-B%C3%A9langer]Emilie Guimond-Bélanger[/url]?
Wed, 2012-11-07 05:57
#15
Yes, it would be great to have a young person, and she has considerable experience.
Sun, 2012-12-02 12:43
#16
Yes, it would be great to have a young person, and she has considerable experience.
I believe that according to QS rules, the co-spokespersons can't both be of the same sex... Lagatta, confirm??
[url=http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/Quebec/2012/12/02/001-succeusseur-kha...é Frappier succeeds Amir Khadir on interim basis[/url]
This retired postal worker and long-time CUPW and FTQ militant and international solidarity activist was chosen today by delegates to serve as co-spokesperson and party president until the next regular congress of QS in May 2013, where co-spokespersons will be elected for a full 2-year term.
[url=http://www.pressegauche.org/spip.php?auteur1377]Lots of articles here[/url] by Frappier.
Sun, 2012-12-02 14:31
#17
J'aime beaucoup André, mais je suis surprise que QS n'ait pas choisi unE porte-parole plus jeune...
Well, normally there is one man and one woman, but it was an affirmative action proposal in favour of women.
Here is a short CBC article in English about Frappier: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/12/02/montreal-frappie...
Sun, 2012-12-02 16:21
#18
Well, normally there is one man and one woman, but it was an affirmative action proposal in favour of women.
Well, that's what I thought... but apparently it's more "egalitarian" than that:
Rappelons que les statuts de Québec solidaire stipulent que le parti n’a pas de chef, mais bien deux porte-parole nationaux : l’un issu de l’aile parlementaire et l’autre «extra-parlementaire», qui assume aussi la présidence du parti. Pour respecter le principe de parité, un homme et une femme doivent se partager les postes.
Which means that in May, they will choose a male candidate to replace Amir:
Le remplaçant d’Amir Khadir comme porte-parole masculin de Québec solidaire sera élu en mai prochain à l’occasion d’un congrès, a annoncé la direction du parti en marge de son Conseil national qui se tient en fin de semaine à Québec.
Seems strange to me. Could it have been a necessary compromise at the time to ensure that at least half the public face of the party would be female?
Either way, it's light years ahead of any other political party in Canada on that front. And it's the only party I know that calls itself "feminist".
Oh yeah, [url=http://www.quebecsolidaire.net/conseil-national-de-quebec-solidaire-les-....
Mon, 2012-12-03 12:47
#19
Amir Khadir's closing address to the National Council of QS - worth 13 minutes of your time (if you understand French):