Young CAQ members attack unions at their convention in Lévis

Education Minister Bernard Drainville during question period on May 6, 2025. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

At their convention in Lévis on Saturday, young Coalition Avenir Québec members said unions engage in “undemocratic” practices, echoing arguments put forward by the Legault government.

They deplored assemblies with “prohibitive conditions,” “radical” positions, and a “lack of transparency” in how dues are used.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville has made similar comments and continues to attack the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE), which he claims has become a “political movement.”

The FAE is challenging Bill 21 in court, which prohibits certain government employees, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols, upsetting the Legault government.

In a brief speech on Saturday, Drainville expressed his delight that the CAQ’s new generation, which he describes as a “spark plug,” is tackling trade unionism and giving a “good kick to the hornet’s nest.”

“Is it normal for a union like the FAE to call an unlimited general strike without a strike fund, but have the money to challenge Bill 21?” he asked.

“Something is not right. Why are we letting them do this? ... A union is not a political party,” said the outgoing president of the youth wing, Aurélie Diep, in a similar vein.

The theme of Saturday’s convention borrows an expression often used by Premier François Legault: “It’s going to shake things up.” At the end of the discussion, the young CAQ members adopted three proposals:

• Restrict the use of membership fees ... so that they are not used for partisan purposes
• Make it mandatory to publish detailed information on the expenses of union and student associations.
• Submit resolutions ... authorizing the calling of a strike, the adoption of a position or an expense that does not fall within their mission to a majority vote of all their members.

Both the vice-president of the Quebec Student Union, Audrey Fortin, and the president of the FAE, Mélanie Hubert, reacted on Saturday by accusing the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) of hypocrisy.

“It’s fascinating to be lectured on democracy by a party that, at 4:30 this morning, passed a law under gag order,” Hubert said in a phone interview.

“The CAQ was elected with 41 per cent of the vote in 2022 when 66 per cent of the population voted,” she recalled.

For her part, Fortin noted that barely 100 young CAQ members were present in the room to vote on the proposals that were submitted.

Developing defence and mining

In addition to addressing trade union issues, the young CAQ members discussed the economy, bureaucratic streamlining and internships abroad.

In particular, they propose “developing the defence industry in Quebec and focusing on this high value-added sector to diversify the Quebec economy.”

They also want to “reduce red tape in the mining sector by 50 per cent to make it easier than ever to exploit our critical and strategic minerals.”

Meanwhile, Legault is scheduled to deliver a speech on Saturday afternoon following the election of a new executive.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 7, 2025.

Caroline Plante, The Canadian Press