QUEBEC CITY -- Premier Francois Legault has "broken his word" on domestic violence, says Quebec Solidaire (QS) MNA Christine Labrie.
In a news briefing Thursday, she criticized the government's refusal to debate a motion to implement two recommendations contained in an expert report.
On Tuesday, the premier committed to "implement the 190 recommendations" contained in the report.
Not only has Mr. Legault betrayed his word, said a visibly irritated Labrie, but his words "are worthless" and "change nothing."
She said she no longer trusts the premier "at all."
The issue of domestic violence is front and centre, with Quebec reporting seven feminicides in the last seven weeks.
In the past, there were an average of a dozen per year.
The motion called on the government to create a secretariat dedicated exclusively to coordinating all government action to combat sexual and domestic violence.
The proposal is one of 190 recommendations contained in the expert report on support for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, tabled in December.
On Wednesday, Public Safety Minister Genevieve Guilbault and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Isabelle Charest urged abused women not to hesitate to seek help.
But their message came at a time when the network of shelters for women victims of domestic violence is complaining of a lack of resources and underfunding.
Of the $24 million promised by Quebec to the network in March 2020, the vast majority of regions (15 out of 17) are still waiting for the cheque a year later.
Charest said Wednesday that only two regions had not yet received the expected funding.
This statement was later denied by the Federation of Shelters.
Minister Charest is showing her "lack of knowledge" of the file, said Labrie. "It shows how deficient the follow-up is on this issue.
"At some point, it's going to be like talking and then doing nothing. It's going to be like talking and then saying the opposite the next day."
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published March 25, 2021.
