The Summer Solstice and
Quebec's National Holiday
186 Years of National Day Celebrations
On June 24, 1834, 186 years ago, Ludger Duvernay,
founder of the patriotic institution Aide-toi le ciel t'aidera
(God helps those who help themselves) inaugurated this day as the
National Day of the fledgling Quebec nation and dedicated the first
toast to "the people, the primary source of all legitimate authority."
Ever since, "this celebration, the purpose of which is to cement the
union between Canadiens,"[1]
is the occasion to celebrate, through music and song, gatherings,
parades and neighbourhood activities, who we are as a people, where we
come from and where we are going. It is a multi-dimensional celebration
of the season, very much like the summer solstice and celebrates the
need for us all, of diverse social and national backgrounds, to come
together and take stock of our common history and social relations.
This year, National Day is adapting itself to the
physical distancing measures imposed by the pandemic. A performance
with over 40 artists, accompanied by 14 musicians, a chorus and dancers
will be filmed and televised on June 23 by Quebec's four main
television networks. This year's theme is "All of Quebec Joins
Together," and the poster, as described by the organizers, represents
"two people two metres apart, looking towards the future hopefully and
in solidarity, under the rainbow that so aptly depicts this historic
moment we are experiencing in spite of ourselves. The painting effect
crystallizes the poster's protagonists so that one day we can recall
that during these times of great vulnerability, all of Quebec came
together to better envision a promising future and happier days."
The ruling elite claims that "Quebec is united" in
the fight against the pandemic. In fact, the people are united but the
rulers make decisions which go against the interests of the people.
Evidence of this are the ministerial orders giving full power to the
government's executive branch to undo previously negotiated
arrangements with health and social services workers to unilaterally
change their working conditions, which are the conditions that ensure
the health and safety of all. The conflict between the Conditions and
the Authority has become even more acute. This brings forward as never
before the need to establish a modern state of Quebec and a new basis,
one in which power is vested in the people to decide upon all matters
of concern to them.
National Day is an opportunity to reflect on how
to ensure the building of a modern Quebec that defends the rights of
all, one which is at the forefront of inspiring the Canadian people as
a whole to move forward and build a new society that vests the
sovereign power in the people and defends the rights of all.
On the occasion of Quebec's National Holiday, the
Marxist-Leninist Party salutes the people, especially the youth, for
the determination with which they defend the rights of all,
irrespective of the colour of their skin or the religious beliefs of
any of the human beings who make up this modern Quebec. The
determination to speak out in one's own name and defend the path of
social progress for the people of Quebec, Canada and all the peoples is
strongly expressed and is cause for celebration on this National Day.
By drawing on their own rich history and profound
expression of what it means to live together, the peoples of Quebec and
Canada and the Indigenous peoples are moving towards renewal. What must
be dealt with is the issue of how to empower the people to decide upon
all matters of concern to them. Finding a solution to the problem of
who decides is the most unifying quest there is.
Happy National Day!
Note
1. La
Minerve, June 26, 1834.
This article was published in
Volume 50 Number 22 - June 20, 2020
Article Link:
The Summer Solstice and
Quebec's National Holiday: 186 Years of National Day Celebrations
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
|
