Manon Mass misses the Marx

After a televised CBC interview Monday in which QubecSolidaireco-spokesperson ManonMasssuggested her party could be labelledMarxist, Massis now flatly denying it.

"No, Qubec Solidaireis not Marxist, and no, Qubec Solidaire is not communist," Masstold reporters at a news conference in Rouyn-Noranda Tuesday.

The issue was raised in an English-language interview Monday eveningon CBCNews Montreal with host Debra Arbec.

Arbec asked Mass about PQ leader Jean-FranoisLise's assertionthat QubecSolidaire supporters are "anti-capitalists"and that the party is "grounded in Marxism."

"I think that the revolution that QubecSolidairebrings up, it's a revolution [that] puts climate change and people at the centre of our target," Massresponded.

"If you call that socialism,of course we are.If you call it what did you say, Marxism? yes,it is," she continued.

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Is it?

The CBCinterview prompted some French media to report that Mass was now concedingQubec Solidaireis, indeed, a Marxist party.

When reporters asked about it at the Tuesday morning news conference, Massuncharacteristically raised her voice.

"Listen, I'll give you irreversibleproof that Qubec Solidaire is not Marxist, not communist, nor any other -ist,"Mass said.

"For the 12 years I've been a candidate in Sainte-MarieSaint-Jacques, I've run against a Marxist candidate," she continued.

"Come on!I'm not an ideologue. I'm an extremely pragmaticwoman."

She also noted that the Communist Party of Quebec has officially endorsed the PartiQubcoisin this campaign.

Lost in translation?

Massblamed the confusion on the fact that she's still learning English.

"In my language of Shakespeare which isall mixed up I meant to say that labels, they're not important to me," she said.

"When people use labels to to create fear, my reaction is to say,'I'm not interested'.I take care of people.That's what I want to say."

"And yes, I'll continue to work on my English."

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