Premier François Legault is categorical: anti-abortion groups have no place in government agencies.
“There is a question of judgement. We will not allow anti-abortion groups to be able to put on big shows in public bodies, ”he said on Friday morning before question period in the National Assembly.
The subject returned to the news on Friday. Radio-Canada revealed that the Minister of Tourism, Caroline Proulx, had intervened to have an event of an anti-abortion group canceled at the Center des congrès de Québec. The event was organized by BC-based Harvest Ministries International.
“It’s against the fundamental principles of Quebec. […] This type of event will not take place with us, ”launched Mme Proulx.
The Minister of Tourism has also criticized the decision of the president and general manager of the Center des congrès, Pierre-Michel Bouchard.
“There was an error on the part of my CEO. I told him about it. […] He was reminded of the main principles in which he had to operate. He should have picked up the phone first and called either my deputy minister or my chief of staff to discuss it,” she said.
“We have reframed the message with our state corporations to ensure that such decisions are no longer made,” she added.
Could other groups who have values that go against the “fundamental principles of Quebec” be denied access to the Convention Centre? Minister Proulx avoided answering the question directly. “This type of situation has never happened,” she said.
According to Caroline Proulx, this is not an attack on freedom of expression.
“You have to be consistent. We are a feminist government, we are a pro-choice government,” said the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Martine Biron.
Values contrary to the state
The three opposition parties in the National Assembly all agree with the decision of the Minister of Tourism.
Interim Liberal Leader Marc Tanguay believes that while freedom of expression is fundamental, you don’t have to accept everything. “It’s clear, in Quebec, we don’t want to fall back into the abortion debate,” he said.
According to PQ member Pascal Bérubé, “the State, through the Convention Center, does not have to welcome such a group that promotes values that go against those of the State”.
“If these people want to express themselves, let them go express themselves elsewhere”, said, for her part, the united MP Ruba Ghazal.
Expand access rather than legislate
Minister Martine Biron recently affirmed her desire to legislate to protect the right to abortion in Quebec.
Québec solidaire believes that the government’s priority should not be to pass a law to guarantee the right to abortion, but to widen access to it.
According to Ruba Ghazal, the right to abortion is not threatened in Quebec, but it is necessary to remain vigilant.
“We invited the opposition parties to a meeting. We will consult them, ”assured Mme Biron.