Justin Trudeau’s Canada seeks to “erase” Quebec, says PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. He says he is now certain of being able to hold a referendum, which will probably be a last chance referendum.
The PQ leader delivered a speech with a strong sovereignist flavor on Sunday, at the end of a National Council which officially focused on housing, in Drummondville.
Leading in the polls, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon dropped his gloves against Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has increased intrusions into provincial areas of jurisdiction in recent weeks.
Added to this is Ottawa’s refusal to cede immigration powers, while the federal government “abuses” them “at the borders and in airports to destabilize Quebec.”
“The systematic encroachment into all areas of Quebec’s jurisdiction is also accompanied by a speech that is openly uninhibited, without any respect for the basic rules of this Canada. This is indeed a charge against Quebec. Justin Trudeau has never been so clear in his intentions,” he declared in front of the approximately 500 delegates and observers gathered.
“Canada has gone from indifference towards Quebec to concerted action to weaken us, to even erase us, from all points of view,” added Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon.
Finishing Father’s Work
Why would Justin Trudeau seek to attack Quebec? “We can reflect on his father’s career and see a continuity,” underlined the PQ leader at a press briefing after his speech.
But the erasure of Quebec is part of a strong trend, according to him, which is also revealed in the song sung by conservative deputies in the House of Commons last week, after the defeat of a motion to abolish the oath in king.
“For many, including those who sang God Save the King, Quebec is a problem that must eventually be resolved. […] It is a political philosophy of Canada which is of colonial origin,” he said.
Last chance
Faced with this observation, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon believes that the next referendum will be decisive in avoiding the disappearance of the Quebec people.
“Quebecers must realize that our next encounter with history is perhaps, very probably, our ultimate chance to give ourselves linguistic and cultural sustainability,” he confided to his activists.
The PQ leader even claims to have the “certainty” that Quebecers will be called upon to decide on sovereignty before the end of the decade.
“Arrogant” and “radical”
This prediction, with only 35% supporting independence, earned him criticism from his adversaries.
“It’s either arrogance or poorly controlled euphoria,” declared a member of François Legault’s cabinet, Stéphane Gobeil.
The interim Liberal leader, Marc Tanguay, for his part declared that “Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is by far the most radical leader of the Parti Québécois.”
But the PQ leader persists and signs: Canada is gradually becoming a unitary state where the weight of Quebec is diminishing. “If we don’t have even a fifth of the votes of a government that decides for us, we’re done,” he said.
“It is a regime that only knows how to crush those who refuse to assimilate.”
– Paul St-Pierre Plamondon