Me Linda Goupil Ad. E.
An Advocatus Emeritus and former Quebec Minister of Justice, Linda Goupil, Ad. E., brings more than 30 years of experience in law, mediation and public leadership to Verreau Dufresne Avocats. Known for her human and strategic approach, she supports individuals and families in finding lasting, balanced solutions.
View profileBook an appointmentThe Cercle des ex-parlementaires de l’Assemblée nationale du Québec (the Cercle), an association of former Members of the National Assembly, is a non-partisan organization founded in 1993. It aims to take part in public deliberation and to help promote parliamentary democracy, thereby raising the profile of our democratic institutions.
At the Annual General Meeting held on June 2, 2022, our members asked the Cercle to speak out during the election campaign to stress the importance of protecting democracy.
The North American context and the international situation are sending us telling messages about the dangers that threaten democracy. Democracy is FRAGILE. Consider, for example:
• The meteoric rise of populism, fuelled by social media;
• The storming of the Capitol in Washington on January 6, 2021;
• The streets of the City of Ottawa paralyzed for more than three weeks;
• The war in Ukraine, whose atrocities unfold before our eyes every day;
• The low voter turnout in the 2022 Ontario election (43%);
• The declining share of democratically elected governments around the world.
In Quebec, we like to boast about the stability and strength of our democracy, which is more than two centuries old. Yet it is not immune to insidious drift. We know from experience, as former members of the National Assembly of Québec, that Quebec parliamentarians can rise above partisan divides. That is what we are proposing to you, in the name of democracy.
However imperfect our democratic system may be, it gives each and every one of us the opportunity to speak out and to freely choose the people who represent and govern us. Parliaments have a duty to preserve democratic values. Democracy requires participation. The more it is exercised, the healthier and stronger our democratic system becomes. Living in a democratic country is a great privilege, and we must support and defend it with conviction. The citizen-voter is in charge of the current election, and bears considerable responsibility for the outcome of the next election.
We therefore invite you to warmly welcome the candidates, the dedicated standard-bearers of the various political parties, who will knock on your door. These candidates are drawn to public service and care deeply about the common good: listen to them, ask them questions and do not hesitate to share your concerns, passions and expectations with them. We also invite you to listen carefully to what the party leaders say and to their commitments on major social issues, especially during the televised debates.
We, the former parliamentarians, setting partisanship aside, appeal to the citizens who are the guardians of democracy. To vote is to exercise power and to hold it to account, again and again. It is a far more powerful act than people think.
Let us take the time to get involved, to take part in the debates and, above all, to VOTE, because the stakes are extremely high.
France Dionne, President of the Cercle and MNA for Kamouraska-Témiscouata (1985-1997)
Caroline Simard, MNA for Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré (2014-2018)
Linda Goupil, MNA for Lévis (1998-2003)
Matthias Rioux, MNA for Matane (1994-2003)
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Note: The information above is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For advice on your particular legal situation, feel free to contact one of our lawyers in Québec City or Lévis.
