LPCQ Grassroots Demand Democracy and Transparency
The following is a draft resolution from real LPCQ activists. Contrary to the spin, not all members of our party support the process used at the Conseil Général Spécial to determine priority resolutions. We are also concerned that members of LPC in the other provinces and territories might be led to believe that all members of LPCQ support lack of transparency in process. This is not the case. We are determined to save this Convention and we hope we will have the support of Liberals everywhere - even if only in spirit.
Sinestra
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Resolution Concerning Prioritisation of 2005 Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) Policy Resolutions for consideration at 2006 National Biennial Convention of the Liberal Party of Canada
Whereas Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec) policy has been developed, deliberated and prioritized by the grassroots members through biennial policy conventions;
Whereas the LPC(Q)’s ridings and grassroots members devote considerable time and energy to developing policy resolutions for debate, amendment and adoption at biennial policy conventions;
Whereas the Liberal Party of Canada (Quebec)’s Constitution was amended in November 2005 to allow for policy to be amended and adopted at meetings of the Special General Council, which remains a governing body;
Whereas the General Counsel’s recently-acquired ability to develop policy does not confer on it the authority to override decisions of the biennial policy convention in its capacity as the supreme and ultimate policy-making body of the LPC(Q);
Whereas resolutions passed by the Special General Counsel at its October 21st 2006, meeting cannot be allowed to supersede resolutions adopted and prioritised in plenary at the LPC(Q) Biennial Policy Convention, November 2005, lest biennial policy conventions be rendered redundant;
Whereas, notwithstanding the aforementioned facts, it has become a matter of contention as to which set of resolutions should represent the voice of the LPC(Q) members at the upcoming National Biennial Policy Convention;
Be it Resolved that the LPC (Q)’s Constitution be amended to clarify the prioritisation, relationship and ranking of resolutions adopted at biennial policy conventions, such that these take precedence over those adopted by any other LPC(Q) body or forum, including special general counsels;
Be it further resolved that the hard work and firm will of the membership of the LPC(Q) be recognised by validating resolutions prioritised at the November 2005 Biennial Policy Convention;
Be it further resolved that in the spirit of good faith towards its membership, the democratic process and transparency, the LPC (Q) present the priority resolutions adopted in November 2005 as its priority resolutions at the upcoming National Biennial Convention.
posted by Sinestra @ 12:34 a.m.
9 comments
9 Comments:
Very good stuff. And, I suspect this procedural problem should just about do it.
There is no way there is any credibility left in LPCQ still sending those resolutions passed at the Conseil Général two weeks ago to National Convention.
Ironically, this would make the Nation resolution go away, much to the delight of many Liberals in Quebec, and all provinces and territories.
Well done!
Yes, it would be great if the resolutions that everyone worked so hard on were brought to convention rather than the ones decided in a less than democratic way. Now we have a situation where Riding Association presidents and others are wondering why they even bothered to work on excellent resolutions that have gone absolutely nowhere. Liberals are tired of heavy-handed tactics.
Primo,
Talking about the 2005 convention, we adopted a new constitution in which it is clearly stated that a "Conseil général spécial" is a place where policy resolutions are to be debated. The constitution of the LPC(Q) was adopted by more than 2/3 of the delegates at the 2005 convention.
Secundo,
I remember the 2004 Conseil général spécial when the women's commission brought forward the BMD resolution which was prioritized for the 2005 LPC Convention in Ottawa. Nobody criticized the fact that the resolutions that came from the previous LPC(Q) convention were not brought forward, it served your purposes.
Tertio,
The resolutions of the 2006 Conseil général spécial were adopted by the members of the Conseil, they were prioritized by the members of the Conseil. The whole process was fair and legitimate.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander...
Alex
At least 2/3 of the room voted in favour of the agenda for the Conseil, if you were against the discussion of policy resolution, you just had to vote against the agenda or bring forward amendments.
Alex
Alex, are you suggesting that policy developed and adopted in plenary at a POLICY convention should be superseded by a Special General Council? The 2005 Constitution is not clear on this and certainly no one intended to scrap the policy we developed last November, especially RELEVANT policy. (Fiscal Imbalance, Softwood Lumber and Maunfacturing, Kyoto, etc.)
By the way, now that Antonio seems to have been muzzled (or is it a recon mission up to Abitibi?) are you the official youth Iggy spokesperson?
One more thing, Alex.
You mention the 2004 General Council on Iberville Street where policy was prioritised. You neglect to mention that there was not a biennial policy convention in 2004 (as there should have been)- in fact, there hadn't been a biennial since November 2002, so the policy we would would have presented in March 2005 would have been outdated. No one objects to additional fora where policy can be developed between conventions, but there's a big difference between a two and half year gap between conventions (your exmaple) and the seven months between the last biennial POLICY convention (November 2005) and the decision to make new policy in June of this year.
Antonio has been muzzled by his school work. Neither him or me is the official spokesperson for the Iggy campaign. I leave that to Michael, Pablo and Denis.
The 2004 Conseil général spécial was not on Iberville street. It was at Centre Mont-Royal on Mansfield or Metcalfe, corner of Sherbrooke.
Since the 2005 LPCQ convention, lots of things have changed. A new conservative government has been elected, the party is in need of renewal and it was necessary to have fresh policy for the 2006 LPC biennial.
Alex, are you suggesting that policy developed and adopted in plenary at a POLICY convention should be superseded by a Special General Council? The 2005 Constitution is not clear on this and certainly no one intended to scrap the policy we developed last November, especially RELEVANT policy. (Fiscal Imbalance, Softwood Lumber and Maunfacturing, Kyoto, etc.)
Unfortunately for you, the new Constitution adopted by more than 2/3 of the delegates at the 2005 LPCQ Convention is very clear. The Conseil général spécial is there for policy on top of all of the other duties of a Conseil général. The policy commission has reviewed what was prioritized at the 2005 Convention and submitted what was still pertinent.
Sorry, you got it wrong all the way on this...
Ciao,
Alex
No Alex, the constitution is not clear on this - hence the need for the resolution. Fresh policy for the leadership convention? Are you suggesting that Fiscal Imbalance uis no longer relevant for Liberals? Or pressuring the CPC to do something about the softwood industry collapse in Quebec? You know, the kind of things that affect Quebecers daily lives. These new resolutions don't quite cut it.
And sorry, my error. I was thinking of that OTHER Spring 2004 General Council on Iberville Street where we did policy.
Bang on, ABI, bang on.
Notice I asked young M. Plante if he was the official youth spokeperson for Team Iggy Quebec. He stated Iggy, Coderre and Rodriguez were the spokesmen and no one else. Naive and ill-informeed, but hardly youth, I dare say. What's the next excuse?
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