The Quebec Liberal Party (French: Parti libéral du Québec, PLQ) is a centre-right federalist provincial political party in Quebec, Canada. It has been independent of the federal Liberal Party of Canada since 1955.
The party has traditionally supported Quebec federalism, meaning it is in favour of Quebec remaining within Canada, and operating within Canadian federalism. While it is sometimes described as centre-right in the context of Quebec politics, the party believes in a strong role for government in the economy and supports socially liberal policies. Also the party has had a prominent social democratic faction within it that was historically prominent in the party during the Quiet Revolution. Former PLQ member and cabinet minister Thomas Mulcair left the PLQ in 2007 to run for Member of Parliament on behalf of the federal social democratic New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) and has since become leader of the federal NDP.
The Quebec Liberals have always been associated with the colour red; each of their three main opponents in different eras have been associated with the colour blue. In 2007, however, the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ), whose official colours were blue and red, temporarily became the official opposition in the National Assembly of Quebec.
Read more about Quebec Liberal Party: Party Leaders, Election Results (since 1867)
Famous quotes containing the words liberal and/or party:
“... liberal intellectuals ... tend to have a classical theory of politics, in which the state has a monopoly of power; hoping that those in positions of authority may prove to be enlightened men, wielding power justly, they are natural, if cautious, allies of the “establishment.””
—Susan Sontag (b. 1933)
“Yesterday the Electoral Commission decided not to go behind the papers filed with the Vice-President in the case of Florida.... I read the arguments in the Congressional Record and can’t see how lawyers can differ on the question. But the decision is by a strictly party vote—eight Republicans against seven Democrats! It shows the strength of party ties.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)