François Legault had to reframe his remarks on Monday, assuring that he remembered the attack on Pauline Marois. In reacting to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the prime minister had declared that “we don’t have that, this violence against politicians, in Quebec,” triggering indignation in the PQ camp.
“It’s worrying for democracy in the United States. Now, we don’t have that, that violence against politicians, in Quebec. At least, physically,” Mr. Legault had first argued, on the sidelines of a meeting of the Council of the Federation held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
He was responding to the shooting that occurred Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, during which former President Donald Trump, a candidate for re-election, was shot in the ear. The event, which was reported around the world, came two days before the start of the Republican convention in Milwaukee.
In the PQ ranks, the response was quick. “It is disturbing to see the Premier of Quebec make such a statement, which demonstrates a complete lack of historical memory on basic facts,” retorted the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, on social networks.
“It was only almost 12 years ago that one of her predecessors [l’ancienne première ministre Pauline Marois] was literally the victim of a political attack that narrowly missed him and cost the life of one man and seriously injured another,” persisted Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon.
On September 4, 2012, a shooter moved to the Metropolis with the aim of killing Mme Marois, then newly elected head of the Quebec government, and “as many separatists as possible.” The assailant ultimately failed to hit the PQ leader at the time, but killed a stage technician, Denis Blanchette, and injured another, David Courage.
PHOTO CHARLES WILLIAM PELLETIER, ARCHIVES SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Former Quebec Premier Pauline Marois
Legault insists on “polarization”
In a press scrum shortly after his first outing, Mr. Legault quickly tried to calm things down, while he was bombarded with questions by journalists.
“First of all, obviously I remember, like everyone else, the attack against Pauline Marois in 2012, but what I wanted to say is that there is currently no polarization or radicalization in Quebec,” he responded, describing the attack against Pauline Marois as “totally unacceptable.”
Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon recalled that all this was happening while his party had highlighted earlier this year “the 40th anniversary of the shooting at the National Assembly, an attempt on the life of René Lévesque.”
“We have often seen the Prime Minister make sweeping statements or find that we cannot trust his word, but on this specific statement, I invite him to retract and correct it quickly,” the Parti Québécois added.
According to him, “this subject has nothing to do with partisan politics, but rather with the need for collective memory and a common understanding of the recent history of Quebec, on fundamental questions.”
Elsewhere on the political scene, Québec solidaire argued that “we have a duty to remember the victims of the 2012 Métropolis attack.” “It is absolutely necessary to preserve a peaceful and healthy climate, in the United States as in Quebec. Violence has no place in politics,” the political party continued. The Liberal Party, for its part, had not responded to our questions at the time of publication.
Asylum seekers in the background
François Legault also intends to take advantage of the Council of the Federation meeting to raise awareness among his provincial and territorial counterparts about the situation of asylum seekers. “Obviously, we would like to move some to other provinces. There are provinces that are open, others that are not. But basically, we have to reduce the number of people who are accepted,” he said on this subject. “There are some premiers who are somewhat open to looking at the possibility of transferring asylum seekers to their home countries, but it’s not easy,” he added, refusing to name the provinces in question. The Nova Scotia premier said last week that he also expected to have conversations about relations between the provinces and the federal government. A statement from the executive council of Newfoundland and Labrador indicated that the premiers should continue discussions on the “revitalization of cooperative federalism” in Canada.
The Canadian Press