(Quebec) “You are not alone,” French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal tells Quebecers. He provides his “support” to Quebec on the subject of state secularism in order to give it “strength in the defense” of this value. He denied interfering in an internal political debate, while Justin Trudeau firmly opposes Bill 21.
In his speech to the National Assembly on Thursday, Gabriel Attal made a powerful plea for secularism, “a condition of freedom, equality and fraternity”. He attacked “those who would […] make people believe that it is a form of discrimination. » This passage delighted the Legault government and the Parti Québécois, but not the Liberal Party of Quebec and Québec solidaire.
Gabriel Attal made this outing the same day we learned that the English-Montreal school board (CSEM) is taking the State Secularism Act to the Supreme Court. Justin Trudeau intends to intervene if the country’s highest court agrees to hear the case in order to “protect rights and freedoms.”
Gabriel Attal responded that he did not discuss the issue of secularism with the Prime Minister of Canada during his visit to Ottawa on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
“I’m not interfering. I respect the debates that exist. I’m not here to take sides. But I am here to tell Quebecers that in their defense of a model of secularism in which we find ourselves, they are not alone,” he said alongside Prime Minister François Legault, during a conference press conference in Quebec on Friday.
“Telling Quebecers, you are not alone in defending this model, in carrying this conviction, it is important for France, because we care about it and it is important for Quebecers because it also gives strength to defend these values,” he added.
“There are countries or territories or nations around the world that have adopted this model. And I consider that my responsibility when I travel internationally to one of its countries is to remind these nations that they are not alone and that this model is defended elsewhere. Does this mean that we are once again entering into an internal political debate? The answer is no. I have always said that I was very respectful of political debates, respectful of the democratic choices that are made all over the world and that it was not my role to comment on them or to take sides in one direction or in ‘other. »
François Legault was delighted with this “support from France”.
Gabriel Attal confirmed that he supports the French diplomatic position of “non-interference, non-indifference” towards Quebec regarding the national question. But he wanted to enrich the lexicon surrounding France’s relations with Quebec, criticizing “neither-nor” for its “negative” side. He spoke of “and-and”: “And sensitivity, and respect”.
“Quebec has taken its destiny in hand and is following its star,” he declared in closing remarks of the press conference.
More details to come