Legault takes aims at Montreal Gazette journalist Aaron Derfel for third time

QUEBEC CITY -- Quebec Premier François Legault once again took aim at Montreal Gazette journalist Aaron Derfel on Thursday.

In a parliamentary committee, the premier accused the journalist of bias, deeming that his articles were intended to systematically discredit his government.

Legault made the comments about Derfel, his third in recent months, as he spoke about the 2020-2021 budget allotments dedicated to the English-speaking community.

Derfel responded late Thursday with a series of tweets, in French, defending his work and discussing the importance of media to democracy.

1) Voici ma réponse aux commentaires que le premier ministre a fait à mon sujet aujourd'hui. Dans cette enfilade, j'essaierai d'expliquer mon rôle en tant que journaliste dans cette pandémie.

— Aaron Derfel (@Aaron_Derfel) August 20, 2020

18) Et dans cette démocratie, je continuerai à faire mon travail de journaliste, posant des questions difficiles dans cette pandémie et vérifiant les affirmations du Premier Ministre et d'autres responsables. La population ne mérite rien de moins. Fin de l’enfilade.

— Aaron Derfel (@Aaron_Derfel) August 20, 2020

"Unacceptable," said the Liberal critic for relations with the English-speaking community, MNA Gregory Kelley, who said he considered Legault's attitude intimidating.

According to him, the premier launched an attack on freedom of the press on Thursday, and said he wondered if it is easier for Legault to attack an English-speaking journalist. Certainly, it is incorrect, he said in a telephone interview with The Canadian Press, to "target a journalist '' in particular.

The Jacques-Cartier MNA claimed that Legault's repeated comments against Derfel are poorly received by part of the English-speaking community, and he suspects the premier of doing because, he said, that community does not vote for his party.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2020