When horror strikes like in Laval, politicians have no choice but to show themselves. It is an operation as necessary as it is delicate.
“We have never regretted going into the field,” notes Manuel Dionne, director of communications for the CAQ government, about the tragedies that have marked the past five years, such as the tornadoes in Mascouche, the hurricane in the Îles- de-la-Madeleine, floods in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac or landslides in Saguenay.
The challenge is knowing what to say, and when.
There is no written rule. Each crisis is unique. Elected officials must rely on their judgment and intuition.
As soon as a crisis occurs, such as the attack on the Great Mosque of Quebec or the bus at the Ste-Rose educational daycare, the government gets busy behind the scenes. Civil Security and Public Security communicate with the departments concerned, under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The question then arises: what to say to the public?
On Wednesday morning, less than an hour after the news broke, three ministers skipped question period to drive to Laval. “We told them: ‘Go right away, we’ll talk on the way to decide what to do,'” explains Mr. Dionne.
The next day, François Legault went there in turn.
At the federal level, the same sequence was observed. Ministers Pablo Rodriguez and Marco Mendicino gathered there Thursday at the start of the day, and Justin Trudeau came for a walk in the evening.
Ministers have an operational role. That of the Prime Minister is more symbolic.
MM. Trudeau and Legault preferred not to be there on Wednesday while firefighters and police were still at work. They didn’t want to appear to clutter them up or draw attention to themselves.
But Thursday, what was their use?
Their presence was primarily useful for the affected community. During a drama, a politician does not represent his party or his government. He embodies the state. By his presence, he shows that mourning is recognized and shared by all of Quebec.
“In Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, people took Mr. Legault in their arms. Seeing an authority figure there seemed to genuinely do them good. You can’t understand that until you’ve experienced it,” says Mr. Dionne.
When the drama is a natural disaster where the prevention or compensation measures will be criticized, one expects less to see the politicians unite and talk together.
This was not the case in Laval. In order to properly represent all of Quebec, the Premier had to appear in the presence of the leaders of the opposition. They were even provided with wreaths of the same design to unify the commemorative gesture.
If a politician goes to the scene, it is also to learn. Seen from a distance, one can have an intellectual understanding. But nothing beats being on the ground to listen to people, understand their needs, feel the emotion and have the motivation to act afterwards.
And finally, there is another reason that explains the passage of politicians: they simply feel the need. The interim Liberal leader, Marc Tanguay, had tears in his eye. And Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, young dads, had the motton. Like so many other Quebecers, they wanted to show their solidarity.
Those who have experienced crises know it: the popular mood can quickly change. Looking for a culprit is a common reflex. The government must also verify whether it has direct or indirect responsibility.
This is why the office of the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, was busy trying to find out if the accused had already obtained or requested mental health care. The answer was negative.
“I would have done the same thing,” Charles Robert, former deputy chief of staff of Philippe Couillard, told me. After the attack on the great mosque of Quebec, his government had verified the political content of the murders. In the middle of the evening, a crisis unit was created. Meetings took place at least once an hour. In particular, it was necessary to verify the contradictory information, find a plane to bring Mr. Couillard from Lac-Saint-Jean and think about the official reaction. Around 3 a.m., the Prime Minister was on hand to speak to the media.
Another model of reactivity is Pauline Marois after the appalling train accident in Lac-Mégantic. His message was loud and clear: people will get help quickly, there will be no red tape. She also stood out for her ability to listen and her elegance – she shared the camera with the mayoress of the municipality, Colette Roy Laroche.
ConverselyLiberal Transportation Minister Laurent Lessard seemed almost angry at being bothered by reporters in March 2017 after an overnight storm that crippled Highway 13.
The elected must make a shell. Régis Labeaume had learned it after being garlanded by victims of L’Ancienne-Lorette1.
Nevertheless, if the elected officials are not seen, they are blamed for it. The Liberals had deplored that François Legault did not go to the field after the shootings of August 23 in Montreal. The criticisms against Mr. Legault had gone better when they came out of the mouth of the family of another victim, that of the teenager Jannai Dopwell-Bailey.
Like what, in doubt, it is better to show your face. And it is also better to measure his attacks.