(Quebec) After the cancellation of the debate in English due to the absence of leaders François Legault and Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, Dominique Anglade asks the English media consortium to reconsider its decision and proposes to hold the exercise as soon as ‘in June.
Posted at 4:25 p.m.
The leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) wrote Friday to the English-language media consortium (CBC, CTV, Global and CJAD) asking them to reconsider their decision to cancel the leaders’ debate in English during the Quebec election campaign. fall 2022.
“The participation of the leaders in the pre-election debates gives all the parties the chance to debate their priorities, as well as to put forward their ideas, their projects, their ambitions and their commitments on the issues that concern us all”, argues Mme Anglade in her letter that she posted on social media on Friday.
The Liberal leader is going for an “alternative solution” by proposing that the debate be held between June and the day of the vote, next October 3, so that “all the leaders have adequate time to prepare for it”. It is not the norm for such an exercise to be held before the election is called. The National Assembly is continuing its work until June 10.
“At the Liberal Party of Quebec, we believe that the political choice must be made in the most informed way. We have a duty to engage equitably with all Quebec voters who must be treated equally,” added the leader in her missive.
The intervention of Dominique Anglade is not without recalling that his formation tries to calm the discontent of part of his English-speaking electorate, who say that they no longer recognize themselves in the PLQ. Two political formations for the defense of English-speaking communities have emerged in recent weeks. Mme Anglade also openly militates against Bill 96 on the protection of French.
A week ago, the leader of the Coalition avenir Québec, François Legault, and the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon declined the invitation of the Anglophone media consortium to the media debate in the language of Shakespeare.
Mr. Legault spoke of the heaviness of preparing for a debate during an election campaign when he has already accepted two debates in French, the traditional contests organized by TVA and Radio-Canada. The PQ leader also indicated that he would not participate, but not for the same reasons, arguing that “the official and common language in Quebec is French”.
François Legault and the leader of the Parti québécois at the time, Jean-François Lisée, had agreed to take part in the exercise in 2018. It was the first debate in English since 1985.