The hits just keep on coming for Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois.
Just days after a late-night caucus meeting where she brought her caucus into line, and a Leger Marketing poll suggesting that former Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe would be more popular as party leader, a PQ MNA is saying the reason Marois ranks so poorly in public opinion polls is because she's a woman.
Claude Pinard, who earlier this week said his party is as low as it can get while calling Duceppe the party's ace up its sleeve, is saying Quebecers will never vote for a female premier.
"One of her serious handicaps for a big part of the population is the fact that she's a woman," Pinard was quoted as saying. "I sincerely believe that because she's a woman, people won't support her."
Pinard made the comments on Tuesday, and on Wednesday was promptly denounced by politicians of all stripes.
Liberal ministers Kathleen Weil and Christine Saint-Pierre were quick to leap to Marois's defence, saying Pinard's comments were unfounded.
"I think Quebecers are looking for competence, and looking for leadership, and I don't think Quebecers make a distinction," between a man or a woman, said Weil.
"You look at the other provinces, you have three women who are premiers," said Saint-Pierre.
Marois was also supported by her own MNAs, with Martine Ouellette saying Marois "will be able to manage Quebec and I think she'll be a really great premier."
Pinard, the MNA who has represented the riding of Saint Maurice since 1994, has already announced that he will not be running for office again.
