Provincial Liberals launch petition denouncing 'Quebec bashing' after English federal leaders debate
"The Quebec described in these questions is not our Quebec."
The provincial Liberal party has joined Quebec's Premier Francois Legault in denouncing the tone and wording of the questions used by federal leaders debate moderator Shachi Kurl on Thursday.
"The remarks made at the leaders' debate in English accusing Quebec of all the evils were simply unacceptable," reads the preamble of a petition signed by PLQ leader Dominique Anglade.
In the debate, Kurl asked Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-François Blanchet about controversial legislation barring people from wearing religious symbols in some jobs and another aimed at modernizing Quebec's French Language Charter (Bill 101).
“You deny that Quebec has problems with racism,” she said. “Yet you defend legislation such as bills 96 and 21, which marginalize religious minorities, anglophones, and allophones.”
“For those outside the province, please help them understand why your party also supports these discriminatory laws.”
Blanchet responded, suggesting the question was biased.
“The question seems to imply the answer you want,” he said. “Those laws are not about discrimination. They are about the values of Quebec.”
Legault took objection to the question calling the suggestion that the laws were discriminatory or racist "ridiculous."
"I cannot understand how we can end up with this kind of question," he said.
Anglade's party's petition "Le Québec bashing, ça va faire" says, "this kind of talk has no place."
"We are an open, free, strong and proud people who have frank discussions on subjects that are often delicate and do not always lead to consensus," the preamble reads. "These disagreements, however, do not allow anyone to talk about Quebec in this way."
The petition asks those who denounce the comments to sign.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Repetitive partisan conduct': Conservatives to force vote on ousting Speaker Greg Fergus
The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud
A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.
What a CBSA strike could look like, according to an expert
Slowed or interrupted travel, the passing of goods and significantly restricted borders should be expected if Canadian border workers take upcoming strike action.
Israel close to approving Gaza reunification program before Rafah invasion: Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Israel seemed to be on the verge of approving a program to get Palestinian relatives of Canadians out of the Gaza Strip before the country's invasion of the town of Rafah.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
'Decades-long fight': MPs unanimously pass 'anti-scab' legislation
A bill that would ban federal employers from using replacement workers or 'scabs' during lockouts or strikes passed the House of Commons unanimously on Monday.
Netanyahu acknowledges 'tragic mistake' after Rafah strike kills dozens of Palestinians
Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Monday that a 'tragic mistake' had been made after an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah set fire to a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians and killed at least 45 people.
Severe thunderstorms, tornado watch in some areas of Canada. Here's where
Depending on where you live, you can expect to get a mixed bag of weather this week, as local forecasts predict heavy rain, strong wind, severe thunderstorms and even snowfall across some areas of Canada.