Bourassa’s daughter blasts Péladeau
Snub over motion to honour former Liberal premier draws scorn
QUEBEC Premier Philippe Couillard says he’s “disgusted” that the Parti Québécois refused to back a motion marking the 30th anniversary of the election of the second government led by former Liberal leader Robert Bourassa.
And Bourassa’s daughter has jumped into the dispute, ripping PQ Leader Pierre Karl Péladeau in a Facebook post.
“Good luck to you as premier if one day you get the job,” Michelle Bourassa wrote. “Great men do not behave this way. My father would never have been so mean.”
Michelle Bourassa mentioned her personal friendship with Péladeau’s sister, Isabelle, who died in a car accident in 2013. She said her “marvellous friend was a lot more human than you.”
Mortified by the turn of events, Péladeau, who also knows Michelle Bourassa well, stopped reporters in mid-question Thursday to make a statement about the incident, which had tongues wagging in the hallways of the legislature.
“I want to tell her I have enormous respect for her father,” Péladeau said. “I think he was a great Quebecer. He is a Quebecer who achieved great things.”
He went on to praise Bourassa for his work creating the James Bay hydro development project and his legislative accomplishments.
He nevertheless defended the PQ’s decision to not support the motion presented by the Liberals Wednesday.
He said it was the wording that bothered him, because by celebrating the election of the Liberals the party would have also been celebrating the PQ’s own defeat that year.
“We would have granted our consent had the motion presented by the Liberals (Wednesday) focused just on the accomplishments of Mr. Bourassa,” Péladeau said.
He added the Liberals broke with tradition and never consulted the PQ on the wording before presenting it in the house. The Coalition Avenir Québec also opposed the motion as worded.
Arriving later for a Liberal caucus meeting, a miffed Couillard was not moved by Péladeau’s attempt at patching things up.
“I am disgusted, disgusted with the reaction of the official Opposition,” a furious Couillard said. “We had a chance to be united. I found this deplorable. You saw the reaction of Mr. Bourassa’s family. I understand them. It’s a very bad incident.
“Once again we see the independence movement adrift, unable to rise to an occasion, unable to envision Quebec as a place where people are united, which is unable to recognize the merits of people who don’t share their ideas, something we did on numerous occasions.
“Regardless of our political opinions, Robert Bourassa is a great Quebecer. He accomplished extremely important things for Quebec. He basically gave his life for Quebec. I remind you that knowing he was terminally ill he decided to stay on the job to deal with the Oka Crisis.”
“It was just normal that we do this. It just shows again the slow and constant decay of the separatist movement.”
Asked if a ‘make good’ motion could see the light of day, Couillard answered dryly: “No comment.”
Bourassa’s first stint as premier began with the Liberals’ victory in 1970, followed by a second mandate from 1973-76. He also served as premier from 1985-1994.
Regardless of our political opinions, Robert Bourassa is a great Quebecer. PREMIER PHILIPPE COUILLARD