The proposal of the defeated CAQ candidate Caroline St-Hilaire for the position of number two of La Francophonie is an example of “patronage”, according to the Liberals, and a partisan choice, for Québec solidaire.
The duty revealed on Tuesday that the Government of Quebec has submitted the candidacy of Ms. St-Hilaire to the Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF), Louise Mushikiwabo.
Interim Liberal Leader Marc Tanguay made the connection Wednesday with the years when Maurice Duplessis was in power.
“At the time of Maurice Duplessis, we called it patronage, appointing people who are on the right side,” he said at a press briefing.
According to Mr. Tanguay, the government’s choice is a compensation offered to Ms. St-Hilaire, who failed to be elected in the riding of Sherbrooke, where she was a candidate for the Coalition avenir Québec, last year.
“Caroline St-Hilaire surely has great qualities to be able to claim such a position,” said the interim Liberal leader. When the main reason, if not the only reason, is because we want to follow up on a “deal” because she is a defeated candidate for the CAQ, that cannot be a reason for appointing people. »
Mr. Tanguay referred to information from the Quebec newspaper indicating that the government had first considered appointing Ms. St-Hilaire Quebec’s delegate to Barcelona.
“They backed down, but now they’re coming back to, basically, follow up on the ‘deal’,” he said.
Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says the CAQ acts like the Liberals, who were accused of making partisan appointments when they were in power.
“These are clearly partisan appointments,” he said. This is exactly the kind of thing Quebecers thought they had gotten rid of by putting the Liberals in opposition, and obviously it continues under the CAQ. »
According to Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, this proposal is a return of favor due to the defeat of Ms. St-Hilaire.
“At the CAQ we never really lose our elections, he argued. Even when we lose them, we win. »
More details will follow