Rights advocacy groups, community and international solidarity organizations, unions and other citizens are calling on the public to unite to denounce the policies of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), which are dismantling, brick by brick, the edifice of our public services and our social and political rights.
The government is introducing one bill after another, adding to other measures dictated by the same logic: to weaken our democratic institutions and silence critical voices capable of expressing legitimate disagreements and defending the rights of all, including the most disadvantaged, marginalized, and discriminated-against minorities.
Marking an authoritarian and demagogic turning point, these policies, often adopted under duress, destroy the foundations of our democracy to serve the interests of economic elites.
An authoritarian turn
Bills on limiting the right to strike and the announced reform of the union system not only attack the rights of workers across Quebec, but also reflect a worrying trend of undermining the mechanisms that protect our democracy. This is an audacious attack by a government against the union movement in Quebec.
Meanwhile, with the Quebec Constitution Act 2025, the CAQ government is threatening to dismantle the province’s entire system of human rights protection, just as the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Developed behind closed doors, without any debate or consultation, this bill is nothing like a constitution.
Demonstrating a poorly-disguised authoritarianism, it risks weakening the powers of civil society. Thus, the legal tools for defending our rights and freedoms, such as the Charter and the possibility of challenging laws in court, are undermined. By instrumentalizing “parliamentary sovereignty” and “Quebec values,” this bill is generating a dangerous identity-based drift, the likes of which have not been seen since Duplessis, the conservative premier who ruled Quebec in the 1940s and 1950s with an iron fist.
In a statement, the Quebec Bar Association asserts that these bills “contain provisions that deviate significantly from the values and traditions of Quebec society in favour of strengthening the power of the State,” and thus fears an “erosion of the rule of law in Quebec.”
A dangerous drift with Trumpist overtones
Faced with the rise of the far right and authoritarian practices of power around the world, the very foundations of our democratic systems are threatened. In Quebec, as elsewhere, rights we thought were guaranteed are being undermined by political decisions.
Driven by profiteering and disregard for science, the elimination of hundreds of public sector jobs and the merging of institutions prevent us from taking effective action to protect our ecosystems and the common good. This facilitates the approval of large industrial projects while simultaneously limiting the possibility of environmental and public health oversight.
François Legault’s recent declaration, in response to Donald Trump’s call, positioning Quebec as a major player in the military industry is troubling and represents a dangerous shift for our society and the planet. This is all the more concerning given that this militarization of the economy is coupled with anti-immigrant rhetoric and decisions that oppose the rights of refugees and asylum seekers.
Lower immigration thresholds, the cancellation of the Quebec Experience Program, and the erosion of asylum seekers’ rights clearly demonstrate the current trajectory of the CAQ government. While Quebec restricts access to its territory in the name of utilitarian logic, it simultaneously invests in the military industry, profiting from conflicts and the climate crisis that impoverish populations and force them to flee.
Today, Gaza stands as a stark symbol of the toxic consequences of turning a blind eye to a racist and totalitarian government driven by colonial agendas: a world dominated by fear, militarization, manipulation, and contempt for international law. Despite condemnations from the United Nations, it is shameful that Quebec is strengthening its diplomatic and economic ties with Israel and refusing to provide health insurance to families evacuated from Gaza, even though numerous experts and international organizations have recognized that genocide is being perpetrated against the Palestinian people.
On November 29, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, let us recognize that an attack on the rights of some is an attack on the rights of all.
Toward a society built on solidarity, justice, and democracy
More and more Quebecers are struggling to make ends meet. Everywhere, the housing and homelessness crisis has reached alarming proportions. The situation is hitting Indigenous peoples even harder. At the same time, as the planet reaches a tipping point, the CAQ is rolling back environmental legislation and regulations.
Despite the urgency of the problems that should concern us, the government is diverting attention from its own failures by seeking scapegoats, such as migrants and immigrants and religious minorities. Instead of addressing the root causes of social problems, it is attacking and cutting funding to groups working to improve society.
We are committed to a Quebec that chooses solidarity over exclusion, respect over repression, dignity over fear, and social justice over the concentration of wealth in the hands of a privileged few. The Quebec we envision is rooted in the values of solidarity, equity, and social justice, and will need to listen to all voices in their beautiful diversity, respecting the rebellious, critical, and free-thinking dissent that has long shaped Quebec’s image.
On November 29th, we will be in the streets to protect the vision of the Quebec society we want: a more just, more egalitarian, and more inclusive society.
The co-authors of this article:
Zahia El-Masri, Labour 4 Palestine
Laurence Guénette, Ligue des droits et libertés
Bertrand Guibord, Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain─CSN
Marc-Édouard Joubert, Conseil régional FTQ Montréal métropolitain
Amir Khadir, Former MNA for Québec solidaire
Yasmina Moudda, Alternatives
Amélie Nguyen, Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
Roger Rashi, activist
Patrizia Vinci, feminist and community activist
Amel Zaazaa, Observatoire pour la justice migrante
This text has been endorsed by more than 600 individuals, and nearly 200 groups and organizations in Quebec’s civil society. Full list of signatories here.
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