(Quebec) An organization representing the Jewish community has deemed “unworthy of an elected official” the “rage” of MP Haroun Bouazzi, of Québec solidaire (QS), who suggests that the CAQ government is complicit with Israel in crimes of war, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.
Mr. Bouazzi refused to explain his statements to journalists on Tuesday at the National Assembly, but he affirmed at the end of the day that his message “could have been better formulated”. His parliamentary leader, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, said he agreed “in substance” with him.
The Advisory Center for Jewish and Israeli Relations, however, added its voice to B’nai Brith to tersely condemn these remarks.
” THE [message] could not have been better worded, as its premise was rooted in hatred,” the Center posted on the social network X.
“This kind of disproportionate attention and rage towards the only Jewish state in the world is unworthy of an elected official and should alarm all Quebecers of good conscience who reject the rise of anti-Semitism. »
B’nai Brith, for its part, considered that Mr. Bouazzi incited hatred.
At the origin of this controversy: in his controversial message last Thursday, the QS MP asserted that by opening a Quebec office to do business in Israel, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) “makes us complicit in a government extreme right which accumulates war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and which has started a genocidal process several months ago.
Tuesday afternoon in the House, the Minister of Higher Education, Pascale Déry, tabled a motion where the National Assembly dissociated itself from any comments insinuating that the Government of Quebec is complicit in “crimes against Humanity, in cleansing ethnic and genocide.
But QS chose to defend its deputy: the parliamentary leader of QS, Alexandre Leduc, refused to grant his consent to debate it.
The B’nai Brith organization, which defends the Jewish community in Quebec, associated Mr. Bouazzi’s statement with incitement to hatred and asked the MP on Tuesday to withdraw it.
“No, it is not incitement to hatred,” replied the parliamentary leader of QS, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, adding that he basically agrees with his deputy.
PHOTO KAROLINE BOUCHER, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois
“I have no problem conceding that the tweet was a little intense,” he said in the press scrum.
“Basically, we are all saying the same thing, it sends a very bad message. It sends the message that the Quebec government is comfortable doing business with a government that is filled with far-right ministers. »
“It’s true that my tweet on Thursday could have been better worded,” Mr. Bouazzi commented on X. “But I know that we all agree on the essential: opening a Quebec office in Tel Aviv is a diplomatic act that sends a very bad message. However, in the midst of war, this diplomatic act constitutes a serious political error. »
“All it does is fuel incitement to hatred towards the Jewish population of Quebec and it is dangerous, it should not be launched in the public sphere, especially when someone is an elected official , an MP, declared the Quebec regional director of B’nai Brith, Henry Topas, in an interview with The Canadian Press broadcast Tuesday. This is not wise. »
Because the population observes elected officials and learns lessons on how to behave and what can be said, noted Mr. Topas. MPs must therefore act responsibly.
The B’nai Brith spokesperson, however, does not consider the remarks to be anti-Semitic and does not ask for an apology.
At a press conference on another issue at the National Assembly in the afternoon, Mr. Bouazzi refused to respond.
The QS press officer argued that there was a lack of time in the press conference which focused on pensions for disabled people, even though the opening speeches had lasted more than 25 minutes and there was no only two journalists at the press conference.
“For the respect of all these people who have been fighting for 25 years, it is their day, we will invite you to stay on the subject,” said Mr. Bouazzi.
“When I saw such comments, I found that it went beyond the limits, that it went beyond the limits, that it was unjustifiable, but I will let Québec solidaire govern itself,” said the interim leader of the liberal opposition , Marc Tanguay, whose deputies represent a good part of the Jewish community in Montreal.