(Quebec) Appointed by the government, Quebec’s chief scientist, Rémi Quirion, withdraws from the general council of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in which he had agreed to participate as an expert.
This state mandarin announced his decision on Wednesday, the same day when questions were raised about his participation in François Legault’s party event which will be held on May 25 and which will have digital as its theme.
An hour before Mr. Quirion’s withdrawal, the general director of the CAQ Brigitte Legault told The Press that the party invited him several months ago and that he agreed to participate in the general council. His name is on the agenda for this one-day event, for a “panel on the effects of social media on young people”.
The objective is to allow activists to benefit from his expertise on the subject and not to get him to support the party or the government’s policies, explained Brigitte Legault, adding that all parties are free to invite him. She added that experts from different backgrounds have long been invited by the CAQ to participate in panels and that this does not constitute a political position.
She referred to Mr. Quirion any questions of an ethical nature regarding the participation of this mandarin in a partisan event. She said the party has committed to paying Mr. Quirion’s expenses associated with the event.
An hour after this interview, Brigitte Legault reported to The Press that Mr. Quirion informed the CAQ by email that he will ultimately not participate in the general council, because “he will travel”.
The participation of a state mandarin in a political event, even as an expert, is unusual, due to his duty of reserve.
Rémi Quirion has been chief scientist since 2011. The Legault government renewed his mandate in 2021.