Quebec Premier François Legault has taken credit for everything that went right during the COVID-19 pandemic, but washed his hands of everything that went wrong, accuses Québec Solidaire Parliamentary Leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

Wednesday, the 31-year-old denounced what he perceives as cowardice on the part of the premier, accusing Legault of looking for scapegoats instead of answering to families who have lost loved ones.

Nadeau-Dubois argues when Legault was asked about the mass deaths at the CHSLD Herron, the premier appeared to blame the CEO of the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Lynne McVey.

"I think it's cowardly," he said at a press conference Wednesday.

He points out this is despite Legault giving himself "all the power" over the last two years when Quebec was held under a state of health emergency.

"When there are failures, scandals, tragedies, what does he do?" asked Nadeau-Dubois. "He finds scapegoats; he throws people under the bus and says, 'I didn't know, it's not my fault.'"

He continues: "It's a lack of courage and leadership. Either you are responsible or you are not... You can't just be responsible for what is going well."

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 6, 2022.