Ruba Ghazal wants Quebec Solidaire to court the suburbs and private sector workers

Quebec Solidaire MNA Ruba Ghazal poses in a park near her home Thursday May 18, 2023 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Québec Solidaire (QS) needs to appeal to people in the suburbs and private sector workers if it is to make further progress, said candidate spokesperson Ruba Ghazal.

The party's results in the last general election were disappointing, and QS failed to increase its support in the by-election held last Monday in Jean-Talon, Quebec City.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Ghazal says that there is still a lot of groundwork to be done, not just in the regions but in the suburbs, areas that have been neglected by her party for too long.

This is precisely where the majority of factory workers in the private sector live, she points out.

As the 45-year-old candidate herself comes from this background, she argues that she is best placed to woo them.

"I have 15 years' experience as a manager (...) in manufacturing plants in the suburbs of Montreal (...) These people (...) don't want us to disrupt their businesses too much," she said.

"What these workers perceive, especially if they work in polluting industries, is that we're going to make them lose their jobs, (...) that we're going to attack their suburban way of life."

Ghazal, who grew up in Laval, insists that this is not the intention. Moreover, she believes she has the profile to "connect" with those who are downright "afraid" of her party or who find it "too idealistic."

"I'm the only one who can make that connection because of my work experience (...) and I come from the suburbs," she said.

Her opponents in the race, Christine Labrie and Émilise Lessard-Therrien, are associated with the city (Sherbrooke) and rural areas (Abitibi-Témiscamingue), respectively.

Suburbanites also want "a healthy environment, clean air for their children, to get out into nature" and public transport, Ghazal pointed out. She believes she has found ways of bringing them closer together.

She gave the example of the Communauto car-sharing service.

"The government can ensure that there are all kinds of transport (...) so that people can have one less car," she said.

QS isn't just about "metros and buses," she added.

During the last election campaign, the party proposed taxing polluting vehicles, which drew an avalanche of criticism. It has since declared that it will review this proposal.

QS lost percentage points in 45 rural and suburban ridings.

Ghazal - whose slogan is "For a national spokeswoman" - is also proposing to shed the "youth party" label and reach out to Generation X, i.e. those aged 35 to 55.

"In less than five years, I'm going to be 50 (...) There's a potential to reach out to them a bit more. They live in the suburbs, they work in companies like the one I used to work for," she pointed out.

Despite failing to make significant gains in 2022, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois - "the best orator of his generation" - remains the ideal person with whom to do this in-depth work, in her opinion.

A STEP AHEAD?

The MNA for Mercier, who also says that sovereignty is at the heart of her political campaign, points out that she is the only candidate to have published a platform in due form.

However, The Canadian Press reported last week that Labrie was the first to file her candidacy, with 500 signatures collected in six regions and 20 ridings.

"I find it very motivating to have managed to collect the signatures so quickly," said a delighted Labrie at the time.

Is the Ghazal camp behind in the race?

"Not at all," said Ghazal. "People are saying to us, 'Oh, if we could clone all three of you and make one, we'd be very happy.'"

The first national debate between the candidates is scheduled for Oct. 29 in Trois-Rivières.

The QS women's spokesperson will be elected at the party's convention in Gatineau from Nov. 24 to 26. She will replace Manon Massé, who recently underwent heart surgery.

The vote will be conducted by delegates from the various solidarity associations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published if French on Oct. 8, 2023.