If it’s correct to say that journalism strengthens democracy, then this feature from  LÉO PAUL LAUZON of the  JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL is an excellent example of journalism defending democracy.
At the departmental meetings I was able to attend, I mentioned to our members that the Quebec government’s offer is not a negotiation but an attack. Attacking  not only public sector workers but also our values and the type society these values allow us to live in.
Below are excerpts from Leo Paul’s feature, while reading the feature keep this in mind. The great depression of the 30’s in the United States was in part brought on by austerity.  During the great depression the US Government passed the Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act of 1935) , which established the rights of employees to organize, join, or aid labor unions and to participate in collective bargaining through their representatives.

The Wagner Act of 1935 states that unequal bargaining power between employees and employers leads to economic instability…

Liberal austerity: privatization for the people and Klondike for the elite

By: LÉO PAUL LAUZON

On behalf of the superior beings ideology

Ontario has a deficit of $ 12.5 billion, but the Liberal Kathleen Wynne did the opposite of dogmatic Philippe Couillard: no cut in public services, no job reductions in the public service, no established short term deadline to eliminate the provincial deficit and 29 billion investment in public transport (Le Devoir, December 6, 2014: “In Canada, the time is not for austerity”)..
Did you know, my friends, that in Canada, it is Quebec that spends the least per capita on its public health system, which provides the most ‘accommodation’ for private health care and subsidies the most private schools?
Regardless, the small liberal doctrine in the service of higher interests must apply and therefore must cut billions in all public services which are already dangerously underfunded.  Even if the International Monetary Fund (IMF) a right thinking organization, issues strong warnings: “Québec is wrong. Austerity is a harmful policy for most countries “(Le Devoir, June 3, 2015).

In fact, those who take to the streets in opposition to the cuts are radicals, according to the Liberal Party of Quebec and should be jailed.
 

Radical and inhumane cuts executed ruthlessly

“Couillard promised social dialogue before the cuts” (La Presse, April 30, 2014).  Instead, we were treated to repression and one more empty promise from Philippe Couillard.  In truth, the social dialogue has indeed taken place, but with the lobbyists, employers and their related academic experts…
In fact, those who take to the streets in opposition to the cuts are radicals, according to the Liberal Party of Quebec and should be jailed.
 

Silence! We’re cutting, just not everywhere

The philosophy of Couillard and Charest is to cut in public services which do not benefit them. It’s not the population who will finance their political party, even by the way of corruption, and it’s not with the community and public organizations that elected officials will find a high paying job after their political service.  Ask Clément Gignac, Raymond Bachand, Monique Jérôme-Forget, Jean Charest and many others.  So when cuts must be made by duty and with loyalty they are made to not irritate the important people working to create even more wealth.
 

Strange! We’re cutting in public schools, but not in the private

The government will cut hundreds of millions in funding to public schools, colleges and universities, but “Revision of government programs. Quebec spares private schools “(La Presse, October 30, 2014).
Quebec private schools are the most subsidized in the country, at an expense to public educational institutions. In Quebec private schools are subsidized $500 million per year, while Ontario subsidises nothing to these private institutions for higher learning.
 

Yes to increase the TFSA  (Tax free savings account), to $ 10,000 a year

The IMF has made it clear that tax expenditures such as those related to the many tax shelters for the rich (TFSA, RRSP increased to $ 25,000, stock options, family trusts, capital gains, dividends, income splitting, etc. ) are equivalent to real expenditure programs.  Without supposedly money, Couillard and company must “necessarily” cut social programs, but curiously, they have the money to improve the tax shelters that deprive Quebec of billions of dollars each year. “TFSA: Quebec followed suit to Ottawa. The contribution limit goes to $ 10,000 “(Le Devoir, June 19, 2015).  To compensate for this shortfall of tens of millions a year, the PLQ will cut elsewhere. Guess where?
To justify its unjust and irresponsible decision concerning the TFSA, the stunning banker Minister of Finance Carlos Leitao spawned this pearl: “These measures (to raise the TFSA ceiling) are good news for taxpayers” (Le Devoir, June 19, 2015). What good news for taxpayers, Mr. Leitao? How much will this tax gift cost the Quebec treasury and other taxpayers?  But Mr. Leitao is loyal. He knows that banks like and make good money with TFSA. Isn’t that so Mr. Leitao?  Monsieur is a career banker who wants to protect his arrears.
 

The private drilling on the public arm

“Drill baby drill” said the American Sarah Palin member of the Tea Party. Incredible, but true, Couillard who said he is force to bulldoze over at all costs the public services because of the deficit, finds a way to pay $ 57 million of  public funds for exploration expenses incurred by the private oil firm Petrolia and her sister companies: “Oil. Drilling resumed on Anticosti Island “(Le Devoir, May 5, 2015).

It makes no sense that the state, especially when it claims that it is broke, pays the exploration costs of private oil. Quebec is the only place in the world to do so.
 

Generous salary increases for MPs

Taking inflation into account there has been a real decline in the wages for public sector employees, surprise! “Solid wage increases in order for MPs”, (Journal de Montreal, March 3, 2015). 
And for those who dare to criticize this reverse austerity, Philippe Couillard, responds to these demagogues, with nothing less than: “The demagoguery has no place in the discussion of reform of the remuneration for the elected” (Le Devoir, March 4 2015).
 

And for SQ police

“A bill to justify the increases to the SQ” (La Presse, February 6, 2015).  Still only demagogues will criticize this right and necessary decision to increase the pay of our police, although many of them are already earning $ 100,000 or more per year. After all, they are the ones who enforce the law and protect our democratic institutions from those who take to the streets to protest against the dictatorship of the markets and their enslaved politicians. Political power and money need a police force seasoned like a strong army to protect their assets and people.
 

Big money for doctors, ditto!

Gaétan Barrette’s, big mouth, said: “Aggressive cuts to ensure the survival of the health system” (Le Devoir, June 26, 2014). He also said that the private sector was going to save public health. Instead, private health worsened the tired model of public health.
Aggressive cuts in services to the population and wages of ordinary employees, of course.  But to save the public health system, we must, according to the deep thoughts of the magical good doctors Barrette and Couillard, aggressively increase the wages of our doctors who are often already millionaires; and please do not cut the obscene price of billionaires pharmaceutical drugs; make more room for private health and also be flexible against the powerful lobby of pharmacists represented by Jean Coutu, Pharmaprix, Uniprix and co.
“Quebec gets along with pharmacists” (La Presse, 20 June 2015), after having brandished “Quebec maintains its cuts despite the grumbling of pharmacists” (La Presse, 24 January 2015). No problem, we will have to cut somewhere else. Guess where?
Given the hypothetical Bill 20, a little blackmail, as is their habit, from doctors does no harm, “Doctors prepare their exit” (Le Devoir, May 6, 2015). For doctors and companies to bully is correct and even democratic. Quite the contrary to the vile pressure applied by ordinary workers unions, students and brainless environmental extremists who defend their corporate interests. Everyone knows that. No the unions representing doctors and companies defend themselves body and soul for the common good. That is why the Liberal Party gave in to millionaire doctors: “Quebec is trying out the easy way” (Le Devoir, May 7, 2015). We keep the high-way for others.
Thanks to its gentle ways “Quebec gets along with general practitioners. Family doctors will have no patient quotas to respect “(La Presse, May 26, 2015). As if that was not enough, doctors will again collect juicy premiums. Oops, that’s right. We do not say premiums, but supplements “No premium Bolduc, swears Barrette. Doctors will receive a “supplement” “(Le Devoir, May 29, 2015). In fairness as the PLQ saved private schools, “Barrette saves specialists” (Le Devoir, June 19, 2015). Saving specialists and private schools on the backs of the community, that is.
 

Additional costs: legalize the illegal

As for the gross and indecent accessory fees charged to patients captive by private clinics, well surprise: “Green Light for these fees. The Minister of Health will mark their use as a counter measure to abuses “(Le Devoir, June 17, 2015).  Seriously, Barrette said he wanted to normalize these fees which, according to him are accepted by the population. While he’s at it why not normalize the illegal black-market work of the ordinary people:  “The accessory fees. Barrette claims standardize supply “(Le Devoir, June 18, 2015). 

Prior to “normalizing” the offer for accessory fees, Barette should first normalize the number of doctors available by bringing more from abroad.
 

The pharmaceutical companies continue to rip us off

Organized drug shortages, senseless price increases with Barrette and Couillard allowing it. As I said, it is elsewhere they want to cut: “Drugs. Quebecers pay 30% too expensive “(Journal de Montreal, April 9, 2014)
Without any justifiable reason, the price paid by the government, patients and taxpayers for a drug that suddenly increased from $42 per unit to $ 4,000 (Paclitaxel held by a private pharmaceutical monopoly), and didn’t you notice that Gaétan Barrette was angry and used big words to describe this institutionalized theft: “The dark side of capitalism, it’s downright abuse” (La Presse, 12 June 2014). Much more than abuse, Mr. Barrette, especially as Paclitaxel is used in the treatment of cancer.
Increases in salaries, premiums, accessory fees, extra fees for pharmacists, doctors and pharmaceutical companies, despite all this, “Barrette expects higher savings than expected” (Le Devoir, May 6, 2015). Savings from where Mr. Barrette?
 

Big gift to multimedia

After he went back on his promise to cut by half ($ 250 million) the subsidies to private schools, the banker Minister of Finance, Carlos Leitao went back on another promise and “Quebec responds to requests from the business community. The video game industry regains its tax incentives “(Le Devoir, March 27, 2015). The Quebec government pay 37.5% of their employees wages, in addition to other subsidies, such as favorable electricity rates, etc. Or course, there were no studies done to support to this flip-flop. The trivialities and banalities of the lobbyists were enough to convince the PLQ bulldogs. “Quebec responds to the requests from business” as usual, but not for others, only requests made by V.I.P.
 

And other billions extended to the rich and famous

My friends, I am sorry but for lack of space I’m required to shorten my text. But let me just tell you that while the PLQ pure ideology bullies and roles over all our public services, it lengthens the floods of public funds from the pockets of ordinary people the “austerities” that bear the brunt of the “rigor “,liberal version of elite economics.
Again, with no serious study and fueled by dogmas and special interests, the ordinary people are obliged to pay out of pocket billions of dollars in wind turbines and small private plants for the purchase of electricity that is not needed (We have a surplus until 2027).
Pay hundreds of millions to the Port Daniel cement plant owned by the Bombardier family which will become the largest polluter in Quebec.
Extend billions in public funds to the mines, “necessities” of the famous Northern Plan ($ 22 billion, the Journal de Montreal, April 9, 2015) while paying to restore their mining sites: “It will take a century to restore the 700 mining sites. The bill is estimated at $ 1.2 billion from Québec public funds (Le Devoir, January 26, 2015). Come on, little pranksters, the concept of user fees so dear to the PLQ and their universality, seems to only be applied to public services used by the population. Important not to irritate and annoy the market. Another liberal principle of variable geometry.
It’s not over, Couillard extends $5 billion for its maritime strategy based solely on “hope”, “Couillard calls out to the private” (Le Devoir, June 30, 2015). Calls the private to subsidize them and calls the population to pay.  Meanwhile, the politics of “rigor” continue to be applied.
My friends, do the math yourself. Quebec will put $22 billion of public funds into the mines who paid a big $23 million in royalties in 2014.  That is why the excellent Devoir columnist titled her column of April 9, 2014, referring to the “new” Plan Nord “Always a mirage.” She is right.
For the Liberals of Philippe Couillard and Martin “Rocky” Coiteux, when the time comes to invest in our public services there is a large deficit and debt problem, but there is no debt and deficit problem when to “imperatively” fund, out of public funds drawn from the purse of taxpayers, the doctrine patents of the mines, petroleum, pharmaceutical, physicians, pharmacists, video games, the affluent, etc. It is by doing so that our political charlatans and speculators claim that we will create wealth.
For these opportunists, it is through public funds, subsidizing the private, that one will get rich.  And, arising from their shenanigans it is the public funding of public services that we’ll be impoverished.
This feature  austerite-liberale–privatisation-au-peuple-et-klondike-a-lelite  appeared in Le Journal de Montréal on July 14, 2015.