Earlier today, CUPE and its allies held a demonstration in front of the National Assembly to once again denounce Bill 69 that opens the door to the gradual privatization of electricity services in Quebec. In addition to the rally in Quebec City, other similar events were organized in the four corners of the province, including Montreal, Mauricie, Montérégie and Saguenay―Lac-Saint-Jean.
Pierre-Guy Sylvestre, an economist with CUPE Quebec, spoke at the Montreal demonstration and warned that “this poses a huge danger in that it not only opens the door to privatization of electricity production but also distribution. Quebeckers will be deprived of a major economic rent, which should be used to strengthen our social safety net and our public services at a time when needs are more acute than ever.”
“These changes to the governance of our power resources are not only worrisome with respect to public sector revenues but are even more problematic in terms of the decarbonization of Quebec and the fair transition. We’re currently mired in a climate emergency, and all of us have a collective responsibility, which the current government is ignoring,” said CUPE Quebec President Patrick Gloutney before the Quebec National Assembly.
Similar rallies were held in September and November as part of a wave of protest by unions, community organizations and civilian society of this bill by the CAQ government. The various organizations fighting this backward bill will be holding a press conference in January to announce further steps of their action plan.