Profile: Election Night in Montreal

A Quiet Disappointment

Lazar Conforti and Eléneore Ferrd quietly sipped their beers as the election results rolled in, and the CAQ’s numbers crept up. The bar hummed softly around the deep booths, while a generic pop song rang out in the background. A smartphone propped up on a salt shaker played the CBC election coverage, and as the CAQ’s numbers got higher the conversations grew sparser.

“Well shit,” Conforti grumbled as the CAQ crossed the threshold to form government “The PQ aren’t better, they talk progressive, but they end up acting like the liberals. But the CAQ is as right as Quebec gets.”

Conforti smiled at Quebec Solidaire victories, shrugged at Parti Quebecois loses, and frowned into his beer at Coalition Avenir Quebec gains. He spent much of that night frowning. Though Conforti had gone out to see if Vincent Marissal would dislodge Jean Francois Lisee, he and Ferrd were quickly distracted by the fast-changing political map of Quebec. Neither Marissal’s surprise victory, nor the PQ’s poor performance took Conforti by surprise though.

“The PQ has been going downhill for years, no one cares about independence anymore, because Quebecers don’t think they are in Canada anymore.” Conforti said about the QS’ strong performance.

Ferrd, was less outwardly bothered by the results, but her awkward jokes grew fewer as the election turned in the CAQ’s favour. Conforti was far more bothered, he is a Ph.D Candidate, and he is an anarchist.

“I thought about boycotting, all the parties are the same.” He said as he took a deep draught of his beer, something he would do every time he began to talk about politics’, “the CAQ are the worst though.”

Conforti likes Marissal and Quebec Solidaire, it’s who he voted for, he wants them to be the party that, to him, the Parti Quebecois never were, but he is skeptical of the QS.

“Everyone’s the same in the end.” Conforti said as he explained Quebec politics to the table.

Conforti says he gets his strong left views from growing up in an immigrant family, post-world war two migrants from the Balkans, and describes himself as a “cynical idealist”. He spent several years living in Central America doing research for his Ph.D, looking into land disputes in corrupt regions. It’s made him cynical of market economies and neo liberalism and has fuelled a hatred of mainstream politics. When his companions aren’t careful he launches into lengthy speeches about the bourgeois. Despite this the evening is convivial. As the map develops, Ferrd and Conforti lapse into French repeatedly.

“Is bad, for foreign students, eh?” Ferrd laughs, rolling in her seat as she does. Her broken English make her jokes land poorly.

Ferrd is light on her feet and quick with a joke, and jokes begin to roll off her tongue freely, and her step becomes heavier as the alcohol takes effect.

“Eh careful you will be taken away huh? Yes Legault does not like you.” Says Ferrd nudging me in the side, as the CAQ cross the threshold.

Ferrd won’t say who she supports but is not shy to admit she despises CAQ’s Francois Legault. As she describes his plans to privatise various services in Quebec she mimes spitting on the floor. Despite the damper that Legault’s landslide put on the evening Ferrd’s cheer quickly lifts Conforti’s spirits.

“Well what can they really do? Socialism is dead anyway.” Said Conforti towards the end of the night.

Conforti squared his shoulder, seemingly ready to begin talking about the bourgeois again. Ferrd jumping in heads him off, and the conversation lapses back into French. As the clock hits nine, Ferrd and Conforti look at their phones, they had expected the count to go on longer, but though the count goes on the CAQ have secured a majority, and, without the suspense, the CBC live stream is losing its novelty.

The roommates kick their feet for a few more minutes, talking about various things, occasionally throwing in jokes about Legault deporting all foreigners, and black vans. Dragging themselves to their feet they walked out into the cold Autumn air, and headed home.