The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ), Éric Duhaime, appealed for calm on Friday to supporters of all parties, “including the Conservatives”, then repeated his message in front of his activists in the evening.
On the sixth day of the electoral campaign, he refused to let his adversaries make him “a scapegoat” of the political climate which is worsening.
In the evening, in Saint-Jérôme, Mr. Duhaime said he wanted to take a “solemn” moment to reiterate that “violence and threats have no place in politics”. In a crowded and overheated resto-bar, he asked his supporters to be “calm” and “resilient”. “I know there are activists who have had all kinds of stories and who have had all kinds of names called out to them,” he said. But on October 3, “we will win peacefully,” assured Éric Duhaime, provoking applause.
Earlier, passing through Lachute, the aspiring Prime Minister had already launched a message condemning the violence. Even if the announcement of the day was about opening up to private health, he made a point of recalling in his speech that he was a pacifist and that he “always has been”. “I think that the presence of the PCQ in this election is a good sign for democracy, argued Mr. Duhaime in English. If we weren’t here, it would be much worse. »
The politician also believes that an election campaign is a “privileged moment” to demonstrate his discontent peacefully, by going to vote.
On Thursday, Liberal candidate Marwah Rizqy had criticized the Conservative leader for harming democratic debate by wanting to “enter discontent” in the National Assembly. On Wednesday, she revealed that she had received death threats.
There is “no link” between this event and the PCQ, replied Éric Duhaime on Friday in front of the Lachute hospital. “Before accusing someone, you have to have proof. I would never do that. » Mme Rizqy has “crossed a line”, he repeated.
Québec solidaire (QS) co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois found ironic the PCQ leader’s tendency to accuse other politicians of going too far. “I think the Duhaime team is crossing a lot of lines these days, and that Mr. Duhaime would benefit from not throwing rocks, considering the glass house he lives in,” he said from Gaspé. .
“The only good side of these controversies, in the last days, is that Quebecers are beginning to discover the true face of the Duhaime team,” he added.
No change in tone, according to Duhaime
In recent days, Éric Duhaime has been the subject of criticism in the media accusing him of fueling “the discontent”. Asked whether this explains his calls for calm on Friday, he denied any “change of tone”. It is “the third consecutive time [que je le fais] “, he underlined.
The Conservative leader said he sent a notice to all his candidates on Friday, as he does regularly, to urge them to stay out of “one-upmanship in this regard”.
Mr. Duhaime recalled that he was a fervent defender of “freedom of expression”. But the line of violence is the one not to cross, he said. “I’m not saying that all opinions are equal,” continued the Conservative leader. I say that all opinions can be expressed, as long as there is no violence behind it. »