Lefties unite!

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Quebec's lefties will try to give themselves a shot in the arm this weekend at a "Conference for the Unity of the Left and Progressive Forces." The conference, to be held on May 26 and 27 at UQÀM, will bring together a wide array of Quebec's socialists. These include representatives from the unions (CEQ, SFPQ, CSN, FTQ), political parties (Bloc Pot, Parti de la démocratie socialiste, Marxist-Leninists and the Green Party) and social activists like the housing group FRAPRU, among other groups.

One of the conference spokespersons is longtime separatist and union militant Paul Cliche. A former Parti Québécois organizer in the east end and journalist for Le Devoir and La Presse, Cliche told the Mirror, "This will be one of the most important events for the left in Quebec for many years." Cliche said he quit the P.Q. when Lucien Bouchard became the leader in 1996. "He's a conservative. All the three main parties in Quebec right now, the P.Q., the Quebec Liberals and Action démocratique, are all neo-liberal and there is no difference between them in terms of socio-economic policy."

According to Cliche, the event is intended to create a coalition which could influence voting in the next provincial election. For more information, call 256-8949. : --John Edmonds

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