Three decades after the historic “Bread and Roses” women’s march led by the Fédération des femmes du Québec and its then-president, Françoise David, to advocate against women’s poverty and violence, a vibrant wave of people is gearing up to reenact the march this Saturday, culminating at the National Assembly of Quebec.
This time, the World March of Women in Quebec City is themed “Still Marching to Transform the World.” The Quebec Coordination of the World March of Women (CQMMF) anticipates over 10,000 participants assembling in front of the Quebec Parliament Building.
The primary objective of this significant day of collective action is to condemn not only poverty and violence against women but also the environmental crisis, all in the pursuit of a fair, unified, and feminist world, as articulated by the event organizers.
Various unions, including CSN, CSQ, and FTQ, have confirmed the participation of hundreds of their members in the upcoming World March of Women on October 18 in Quebec City. The Mothers at the Front movement will also be actively involved.
Activities are scheduled to kick off with a press briefing around 11 a.m., followed by the commencement of a two-kilometer march approximately an hour later. The event will feature speeches and performances that are expected to continue until around 4 p.m.
In a noteworthy historical parallel, the women’s march against poverty initiated by Françoise David in 1995, who later went on to serve as a member of the National Assembly for Québec solidaire until her resignation in 2017, extended for a remarkable 10 days from May 26 to June 4, 1995.
The culmination of this march on June 4, 1995, saw more than 15,000 women rallying in front of the National Assembly of Quebec demanding improved working and living conditions. Among them were 800 women who trekked 200 km in three contingents to be part of this momentous event, now immortalized under the historic banner of “Bread and Roses.”
