The Parti Québécois (PQ) refuses the invitation to address the public during the official ceremony at the National Day show, June 24, on the Plains of Abraham, in Quebec.
The PQ is thus protesting against the appointment of singer Émile Bilodeau as host of the evening, because he ridiculed the party and expressed his vehement opposition to Law 21 on state secularism.
In a message obtained by The Canadian Pressthe spokeswoman for the PQ, Méganne Perry Mélançon, harshly criticized the Mouvement national des Québécois (MNQ) – in charge of organizing the National Day show – for having “lack of judgment, thus going against the basic principles that they themselves have stated”, that is to say, to be non-partisan.
The singer-songwriter has shown his support for Québec solidaire (QS) on numerous occasions and the left-wing party has also welcomed his appointment.
The PQ has often been invited to speak at the formal ceremony preceding the Saint-Jean show, this great moment of nationalist and sovereignist fervor, but this time it will not.
Former PQ member for Gaspé, M.me Perry Mélançon points out that she had initially accepted the invitation, but then changed her mind because she was “not comfortable pretending”.
The MNQ, however, believes that the choice of Émile Bilodeau is unifying and “non-partisan”. The body downplayed the controversy that followed his appointment by calling it a “crisis in a glass of water,” in an internal memo obtained by The Canadian Press.
“Anything but unifying”
However, Méganne Perry Mélançon judges that this choice is “anything but unifying”, to use her words.
“When you want to bring people together, the first thing to do is to show respect for others! she writes.
“In recent years, and particularly in recent months, Émile Bilodeau has repeatedly shown a lack of respect for the Parti Québécois, its staff, its leader, its members, its activists. He has also shown very little respect for anyone who advocates state secularism. »
However, she recognizes that the MNQ has the right to make this decision and that the artist is free to say and think what he wants.
“I am therefore not at all asking for the withdrawal of Émile Bilodeau from the stage, from his role as host, and I am not asking for the withdrawal of anyone. He has 100% the right to be on stage and I wish him a very happy National Day, by the way. This is a political choice that belongs entirely to the organizers. »
She is harshly attacking the MNQ which she says is in complete contradiction to her goal of organizing a non-partisan party.
“(The MNQ) should however be aware of the ultra-partisan and sometimes contemptuous gestures and remarks that Émile Bilodeau has made to support another political party from which he claims to be. His appointment as host is on its very face a great contradiction with the official message and with the objectives of unity and non-partisanship set out by the MNQ. »
Québec solidaire did not take time to react on Monday to defend Émile Bilodeau.
On Twitter, the QS deputy for Jean-Lesage, Sol Zanetti, asked “why is the PQ attacking a beloved youth star and the organization of the National Day? »
He added that “it’s a time to come together beyond our squabbles, to forgive and to shout ‘bonne st-hhhean!!'”.
He ended by inviting Mme Perry Mélançon to reconsider his decision and present himself at the ceremony.
Campaign alongside QS
Émile Bilodeau had ridiculed PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon in his crusade to have the oath to the King of England taken by elected members of the National Assembly abolished.
He then described the three PQ MPs as “whiners” who “twiddled their thumbs”, while “my friend Sol Zanetti”, MP for QS, had tabled a bill to abolish the obligation to take the oath to the Crown. . It is in fact the bill tabled by the Minister of Democratic Institutions, Jean-François Roberge, which was adopted.
In a micromessage, Émile Bilodeau also said that “the PQ must die for there to be a sovereignist opposition”.
In the general election last fall, the singer campaigned alongside QS co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois in Verdun.
Earlier that year, he had called for a QS vote in the by-election in Marie-Victorin.
In addition, the artist had described the law on secularism of the State as “misogynist, Islamophobic and degrading”. During the 2020 National Day show, he wore a button denouncing the law on secularism.
“Émile will not arrive on the scene to proclaim that he is against this law, assured the communications and marketing manager of the MNQ, Sophie Lemelin, in an interview recently. It is not in Émile’s mandate to come and play politics. »
The National Day has “always been depoliticized in the noble sense of the term,” she said.
“Instead of feeling listened to, I feel more of an attitude of denial from the organizers which does not make me feel welcome”, concluded Mr.me Perry Melancon.