Quebec premier justifies opening Tel Aviv office, saying responsibility is on both sides in Israel-Gaza conflict
"We're not here to judge governments," Quebec Premier François Legault said Thursday when asked about the opening of a Quebec office in Tel Aviv, Israel, as conflict rages in the Gaza Strip.
"We're here for the people and we're here to do business. Now, I think there's a bit of responsibility on both sides, the way it started, yes, yes," Legault replied in the Quebec legislature about the origins of the ongoing conflict.
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government announced on Wednesday that the head of Quebec's diplomatic representation will move to Tel Aviv this summer.
Opposition parties are calling on the government to back down.
"Quebec politics cannot be 'business as usual,'" argued Quebec solidaire (QS) parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. "Firming up our trade ties in such a context is immoral. Will the premier close the office?"
In a parliamentary committee Wednesday morning, Minister of International Relations Martine Biron justified installing the post in Tel Aviv.
She said that "things have settled down" and "the economy has picked up."
The CAQ government has been embroiled in a complicated situation ever since it announced last August that it would open a Quebec office in Tel Aviv, just before the Hamas attacks in Israel on Oct. 7.
The official opening had to be delayed until Sept. 18, after which the head of the office took up his duties but worked from Montreal, then went on a month-long mission in February-March, despite Biron's assertion that he was fulfilling his mandate from Montreal.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 25, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Israeli army tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Gaza's Rafah ahead of an expected assault
The Israeli army on Monday ordered tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza's southern city of Rafah to start evacuating from the area, signalling that a long-promised ground invasion there could be imminent.
'Love has no boundaries': Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.