Quebec election, Sept. 28: PQ leader defends candidates’ comments on Islam, racial profiling

Opponents slam François Legault for saying a hike in immigration would be ‘suicidal’ for Quebec. CAQ candidate apologizes for suggesting 80% of immigrants "don’t work, don’t speak French or don’t adhere to Quebec values."

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That’s it for today.

I’ll be back tomorrow morning with another live blog.

In the meantime, you can read our election coverage at montrealgazette.com.

4 p.m.

‘No matter where you come from, you are a Quebecer,’ Nadeau-Dubois says

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says Quebec deserves a leader who brings Quebecers together.

Said Nadeau-Dubois: “In Quebec, we need a leader who brings people together – look at what’s happening in other parts of the world, the conflicts, the tension.

“It seems to me that in Quebec, we deserve to be led by someone who brings Quebecers together, who says that no matter where you come from, no matter what your religion is, no matter the colour of your skin, no matter how your name sounds, you are a Quebecer.”

CAQ is ‘inventing an immigration crisis,’ Anglade says

“By inventing an immigration crisis, the Coalition Avenir Québec is hiding from the real issues that affect Quebecers, such as the economy and labour shortages,” the Liberals said in a Facebook post this afternoon.

“For the CAQ, immigration is a problem; for the Liberal Party of Quebec, it is an asset and opportunity for all of Quebec. The history of Quebec was built by Quebecers of all backgrounds and it will continue to be.”

Following up on my live reporting earlier, here’s our full story about today’s immigration controversies.

Saying a hike in immigration would be “suicidal” for Quebec or that most immigrants don’t work sows fear, opposition leaders charge.

In first book, Toula Drimonis looks at belonging in Quebec

The timing couldn’t be better, really. With the Quebec election campaign in the homestretch, with Coalition Avenir Québec Leader François Legault linking immigrants to extremism and violence (he has since backtracked), Toula Drimonis offers a view from the other side.

The journalist and socio-political commentator’s first book, We, the Others: Allophones, Immigrants and Belonging in Canada, was released last week by Linda Leith Publishing. Mixing personal and family history with a researched and critical overview of federal and provincial responses to immigration over the years, it’s an insider’s look at the immigrant experience and life as an allophone in Quebec. Hint: It’s not always easy.

Read our full story, by T’Cha Dunlevy.

3 p.m.

Quebec’s ‘post-COVID’ election campaign has few mentions of deaths, emergency powers

From The Canadian Press:

The French phrase “bain de foule” appears regularly on the agendas of Quebec’s major party leaders during the provincial election campaign.

The term, which directly translates into English as “crowd bath,” is used to describe walkabouts at public places such as markets, regional fairs and busy commercial streets, during which politicians shake voters’ hands, pose for photos and occasionally hold babies.

Politicians bathing in crowds is a sign of the post-pandemic atmosphere of Quebec’s election campaign: masks are rare, candidates are up close with supporters and political rallies are back.

“We are in a completely post-COVID campaign,” Eric Montpetit, a political science professor at Université de Montréal, said in an interview Tuesday.

Quebec’s campaign, which ends election day Oct. 3, is in stark contrast to campaigns conducted during the pandemic in other provinces, such as New Brunswick in 2020, where there were no rallies and where some parties stopped campaigning door-to-door. In Ontario’s spring election, candidates wore masks and the leaders of both the NDP and Green Party were forced to pause their campaigns after testing positive for COVID-19.

For some health experts, however, the scant discussion in Quebec about the pandemic represents a missed opportunity to talk about the lessons learned over the past two years.

“I’m both surprised and disappointed,” said Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist and medical microbiologist at the McGill University Health Centre, in reference to the lack of discussion about the pandemic on the campaign trail.

He said Quebec has not done enough to prepare for a possible future wave. The incumbent Coalition Avenir Québec party, he added, doesn’t want to talk too much about the pandemic because of the high death toll in the province — 16,754 deaths have been attributed to the disease, the highest number in Canada.

The deaths are “a reflection not only of a virulent pathogen and an at-risk population but (they) also tell us that our health-care system is extremely fragile,” Vinh said in an interview Tuesday, adding that Quebec’s health network remains severely understaffed and that the number of vulnerable people is growing as the population ages.

Vinh said Quebec’s political parties aren’t talking about the pandemic because voters are ready to move on. “I think most people don’t want to hear about COVID anymore and that’s why there’s no outcry.”

Daniel Weinstock, a professor at McGill University’s institute for health and social policy, said he agrees that public opinion is likely part of the reason the pandemic isn’t a prominent topic during the campaign.

While the vast majority of eligible Canadians got two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, uptake of third and fourth doses has been far lower, a sign, Weinstock said, that people want to live in a post-pandemic world.

“It could be that at the end of the day that is the main reason why everybody in this race, the opposition parties, have decided that, even though there’s a rational reason to question the government’s handling of the pandemic — especially in its earlier phases — this is just not something that the population wants to hear. It’s not a vote-getter,” he said.

Weinstock, however, said he’s disappointed that CAQ Leader François Legault on the campaign trail hasn’t really had to defend his government’s use of emergency powers during the pandemic. “I’ve been disappointed at the lack of bandwidth that’s been occupied by this government’s relatively cavalier manner with liberal democratic rights and freedoms.”

Only Conservative Party of Quebec Leader Éric Duhaime has regularly criticized the way Legault handled the pandemic.

But Montpetit said those criticisms are mostly intended to appeal to Duhaime’s base — and they largely came before the election campaign. The Conservative party leader has focused less often on pandemic measures in recent weeks as he looks to broaden his appeal, Montpetit said.

Legault managed to remain popular throughout the pandemic because his health orders followed public opinion, Montpetit said.

During the early waves of the disease, the government’s strict measures were broadly popular. But public sentiment changed in December 2021 and January 2022, when opinion polls began showing that the measures — including the curfew — were losing support. In response, Legault quickly changed course.

“Most people are under the impression that Legault did what he could, that he did a good job, (that) it was a difficult job and someone else wouldn’t have done better than him,” Montpetit said.

“So in this context, it’s clear that Francois Legault’s adversaries have absolutely no interest in raising this issue and I think that’s why we don’t talk about it during the campaign.”

Opinion: It’s vital that English-speaking Quebecers’ voices be heard

“As we head to the polls Monday, English-speaking Quebecers have the power to make a difference. We have a voice. Let’s use it.”

Read the full opinion piece, by Eva Ludvig, president of the Quebec Community Groups Network.

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is defending a candidate who wondered why “’visible minorities resist so much when they are arrested.”

The comment was made in November 2021 on Twitter by Suzanne Gagnon, the PQ candidate in La Pinière on Montreal’s South Shore, according to reports. The tweet is no longer visible.

TVA reports that she wrote: “Why do visible minorities resist so much when they are arrested? I would like to get an answer from someone who is part of it. Thanks.”

On Wednesday, Plamondon defended the remarks, saying she wrote a follow-up tweet that cleared up the issue.

Two months after her initial comment, Gagnon tweeted:: “Racial profiling exists among some members of law enforcement, and I in no way condone their abuse of power and force towards visible minorities, especially, or any other individual! But resisting is not a solution!”

St-Pierre Plamondon said Gagnon recognized that racial profiling exists. “Clearly, her intention is that she is concerned about the injuries suffered during the arrests of people among visible minorities,” he said.

The PQ leader also defended Lyne Jubinville, the Parti Québécois candidate in Laval’s Ste-Rose riding, in the wake of a Le Devoir report on her previous anti-Islam statements. (See item below, timestampe

“You can’t put the word ‘phobia’ on any criticism of religions,” St-Pierre Plamondon said. “There is no way to target all of her remarks as targeting a single religion.”

From a feminist perspective, criticizing religions is legitimate, he added. “Questioning religions … in terms of women’s rights is a criticism that is necessary.”

Anglade meets Quebec City’s mayor

Only 7% of French-speaking Quebecers think language rights are an issue, poll suggests

A new poll from the Angus-Reid Institute looked at the top election issues among voters.

“The issue of language clearly divides anglophones and francophones,” the polling firm said.

“More than half (54 per cent) of English-speaking Quebecers say language rights are a top issue for them. Fewer than one-in-ten (seven per cent) French-speaking respondents agree.”

Over the past nine months, Angus Reid polls have found the governing Coalition Avenir Québec and the opposition Québec solidaire have held steady. The Conservatives and Parti Québécois have risen in popularity. Interest in voting Liberal has declined.

The full poll results are available on this page on the Angus Reid Institute website.

For elections and asteroids alike, Philippe Fournier has our numbers

When not analyzing poll numbers, Philippe Fournier has been a prof at CEGEP de Saint-Laurent, teaching courses in physics, astrophysics and astronomy for the last 20 years. He earned degrees in astrophysics at McGill and Université Laval, and later did some blissful telescope research “with lots of stars” at Mont Mégantic in the Eastern Townships.

Read our full story, by Bill Brownstein.

Boulet should be turfed immediately, Bloc Montréal says

Legault says Boulet would not return as immigration minister

In interviews on TVA and Radio-Canada today, Coalition Avenir Québec Leader François Legault said Jean Boulet will not be immigration minister if the CAQ is re-elected on Oct. 3.

Legault said “for reasons of perception and confidence” Boulet has “disqualified” himself as a future minister of immigration.

Noon

Responding to Boulet, Plante says immigrants contribute to Montreal’s ‘economic, social and cultural vitality and to the dynamism of French’

Noon

Éric Duhaime has described as “pathetic” the latest controversial statements about immigration from François Legault and Jean Boulet.

Legault is the incumbent premier and leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec while Boulet is a CAQ MNA and the outgoing immigration minister.

“It’s pathetic because it’s not the first time,” Duhaime said about the statements.

Speaking at a press conference in Quebec City, he said both Legault and Boulet have repeatedly made contentious statements about immigration.

In a recent debate, Boulet said “80 per cent of immigrants go to Montreal, do not work, do not speak French or do not adhere to the values of Quebec society.” He has since apologized.

Duhaime said all of Boulet’s points were false: “We know it’s not true.”

The Conservative leader said if he had said something like that, “I would probably already be politically disqualified.”

There have been so many controversial CAQ statements about immigration, followed by apologies, that “at one point we’ll have to wonder is it really a mistake or are they trying to send a mixed signal because it’s going on and on and on,” Duhaime said.

He said “It’s really concerning. Obviously, the CAQ has a problem with immigration.”

Duhaime added: “It’s not by seeing other people – immigrants or non-francophones – as a threat that we’re going to be able to survive as francophones in North America. That’s the difference between myself and Mr. Legault. Mr. Legault thinks that the immigrants and the non-francophones are the problem; I think they’re part of the solution.”

Watch his press conference: 

Liberals are the only party that consistently ‘values the contribution of all Quebecers,’ Anglade says

Dominique Anglade says François Legault “keeps dividing Quebecers” on issues such as immigration.

She said the Quebec Liberal Party is the only “party that doesn’t want to divide, that wants to unite, that is very consistent in terms of openness, in terms of valuing the contribution of all Quebecers.

“What I’m asking Quebecers is to go out and vote on Oct. 3. More than 60 per cent of the population doesn’t want to have François Legault as the premier. Go out and vote.”

Watch her press conference:

Aislin’s take

Via Twitter this morning, Isabelle Malançon, the incumbent Liberal MNA for Verdun who is seeking re-election, denounced the comments made by Jean Boulet, a Coalition Avenir Québec candidate and current labour and immigration minister.

“These prejudices do not correspond to what I see on the ground in Verdun. It is deplorable to see that this is what the outgoing labour minister thinks.”

‘Hurtful, rude and irresponsible’ – Nadeau-Dubois slams Legault on immigration

Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois says he is outraged after François Legault suggested accepting more than 50,000 immigrants annually would be “suicidal” for Quebec.

Via Twitter, Nadeau-Dubois, the co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire, said: “Suicide is killing yourself. François Legault believes that welcoming more immigrants is the death of the Quebec nation. That’s what he said. These are hurtful, rude and irresponsible comments.”

Quebecers are less than impressed with all party leaders, poll suggests

Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Francois Legault, the perceived frontrunner in the Quebec election campaign, is viewed unfavourably by more than half of province’s electorate, a new survey suggests.

Read our full story.

Accepting more than 50,000 immigrants annually would be ‘a bit suicidal’ for Quebec, François Legault says

François Legault says he ‘very much regrets’ Jean Boulet’s comment on immigrants

“Jean made a grave error – it’s not true what he said,” Legault told reporters at a press conference after a speech to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal.

The Coalition Avenir Québec leader said Boulet, a CAQ candidate and currently the immigration minister, knows what he said was false.

Legault said Boulet made the statement “in the heat of the action” during a debate but that doesn’t justify what he said.

A reporter asked Legault if he stands by a statement about immigration that he himself made in his speech this morning.

He said that accepting more than 50,000 immigrants would be “suicidal” for “the Quebec nation.”

“It’s an expression in Quebec to say that if we increase the number of immigrants while French is in decline, it would be a bit suicidal for French,” Legault said in response.

“I think everyone understands what that means. We have to stop the decline (in French). It’s not by increasing immigration that we’ll stop the decline of French.”

Watch the press conference:

You can watch Legault’s speech to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal:

80% of immigrants ‘don’t work, don’t speak French or don’t adhere to Quebec values,’ CAQ minister says

The vast majority of immigrants to Quebec don’t work, don’t speak French or don’t adhere to Quebec values, an outgoing Coalition Avenir Québec minister says.

Jean Boulet, an incumbent CAQ MNA who currently holds the immigration and labour portfolios in François Legault’s government, made the statement at a radio debate for candidates in Trois-Rivières riding last week that was not widely reported.

The candidates were asked about immigration and the labour shortage.

“Eighty per cent of immigrants go to Montreal, do not work, do not speak French or do not adhere to the values of Quebec society,” Boulet said.

He said the solution is “regionalization and francization,” meaning more immigrants should settle in Quebec regions and the province has to ensure immigrants speak French.

“I’m sorry for expressing my thoughts badly,” he tweeted. “The excerpt broadcast does not reflect what I think. We must continue to focus on the reception, francization and integration of immigrants, who are a source of wealth for Quebec. ”

It’s not the first time Boulet has stirred controversy with a statement about immigration.

In a December 2021 tweet, Boulet implied asylum seekers were bringing COVID-19 into the province.

At the time, he was worried about the arrival of refugees via Roxham Road in the midst of a pandemic and asked the federal government to close this route of entry into the country.

In the wake of a Le Devoir report on her previous anti-Islam statements, Lyne Jubinville, the Parti Québécois candidate in Laval’s Ste-Rose riding, has published a Facebook statement to “clarify and retract certain comments.”

“Islam is not us: we have nothing to do with it, we don’t know that!!!” she wrote on one occasion. Another time, she said she was offended to see “the hijabs invading more and more our public landscape”.

At one point, she wrote about “veiled women” on Ste-Catherine St. in Montreal: “Welcome home, people from other countries. But don’t count on us to build you mosques and let your muezzins announce the call to prayer in the middle of the street when our churches are for sale and our bells are increasingly silent.”

In her Facebook post after the Le Devoir story was published, Jubinville said: “I fully recognize the right of new Quebecers and of all Quebecers to believe in God and to go to the places of worship of their choice according to their religion. Although I am very critical of the effect of religions on women’s rights, I recognize that everyone in Quebec is entitled to their beliefs and therefore has the right to practice their religion.”

She added: “I also want to make it clear that my critical comments about religions apply to all religions and not one in particular. My critical mind is aimed at religious fundamentalism and not at one religion in particular. I recognize and have often affirmed that religious fundamentalism is found in all monotheistic religions. As I have published on several occasions, I believe that secularism and a healthy reserve regarding religion in the public space preserve the right of each religion to exist in social peace and tranquillity.”

CAQ could win fewer votes but 15 more seats than it did in massive 2018 victory, projections suggest

Canadian Party’s main target in ad campaign is the Quebec Liberal Party

CAQ worker highlights ‘misogynist and violent’ lyrics in TikTok video featuring Nadeau-Dubois and Massé

Anglade’s daughter wasn’t too impressed with mom’s ’embarrassing’ dance on debate night

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon loyal to sovereignty, come what may for PQ

At the forefront of the Parti Québécois charge toward independence is Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, also known as PSPP, a youthful 45-year-old former lawyer who has promised since he was named leader in October 2020 the party’s focus would be on its foundational raison d’être.

Read our full profile, by René Bruemmer.

Opinion: In Quebec, transportation and the environment go hand in hand

“François Legault may accuse Montrealers of interfering and “looking down on” the concerns of commuters from Lévis in questioning the need for a new multi-billion span.

“But the third link is a matter that affects all Quebecers. Whether it gets built and the form it takes may determine Quebec’s ability to reach even the most modest emissions reduction targets by 2030.”

Read Allison Hanes’ full column.

What are the five major parties taking part in Quebec’s provincial election?

Here’s a look at the five parties vying to form Quebec’s next government.

Read our full story.

Election Guide: What you need to know about the campaign and voting

How do you check if you’re on the electoral list? Are you allowed to vote? When can ballots be cast?

Read our full story.

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ariga@postmedia.com

Read my previous live blogs here.

1. 

   Quebec election, Sept. 27: Sovereignty isn’t a priority but independence would be ‘viable,’ Legault says

2. 

   Quebec election, Sept. 26: High turnout in early voting a ‘good sign’ Quebecers want change, Duhaime says

3. 

   Quebec election: What you need to know about the campaign and voting

4. Read Andy Riga’s previous live blogs