The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) Éric Duhaime underlined the “extraordinary progress” of his political formation at the call of the elections with a team of 125 candidates. He said his party has succeeded in galvanizing activists over the past two years by defending “democracy, individual rights, civil rights and individual freedoms”.
The PCQ is a “center-right” option, said Éric Duhaime, during the part of his speech delivered in English. Even if he considers that “the labels are reductive”, the Conservative leader mentioned his opposition to the tramway project by suggesting instead to make public transport free in Quebec. An idea traditionally “very associated” with the left, according to him.
Mr. Duhaime pointed out that he had not addressed the question of the measures in his speech at the start of the press briefing. “Mr. Legault advertises, he pays actors to brag about his record in terms of health measures. If there is someone who tries to use sanitary measures and scare a particular generation, I think it is more Mr. Legault than me. »
According to the head of the Coalition avenir Québec François Legault, Éric Duhaime demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic that he did not have the stamp of a prime minister by not putting the “common good” at the heart of his commitment. Politics.
“I can understand that there are people in Quebec who have been fed up with the measures [sanitaires], said Mr. Legault. Then, yes, there are those who have tried to take advantage of that and then win votes. I think that at some point, when you’re in politics, when you’re a party leader, you have to be responsible, then the responsible position is to work for the common good, then to make sure that you protect the most vulnerable, that we protect our seniors. Then the way we acted, we saved lives in Quebec. I don’t think it’s nothing. »
Condemn “all violence”
Asked about the verbal attack suffered last Friday by Federal Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, in Alberta, Mr. Duhaime replied “that all attacks and all violence must be denounced”. The video was posted on Twitter by an account of a group that opposed public health restrictions aimed at combating COVID-19.
Éric Duhaime returned again to his remarks made during the unveiling of the electoral platform on August 18, when he praised voters wanting to “settle [le] case” by François Legault. In politics, “we sometimes use words that are borrowed from war terminology,” he said.
“It was not me who organized violent demonstrations night after night in the streets of Montreal and who refused to condemn” the violence, continued the conservative leader. “It’s another party leader,” he said, referring to co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire (QS) Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, student leader of Printemps érable, in 2012.
More details will follow.
With Marco Belair-Cirino