LEGAULT LASHES OUT
Attacks Liberals’ ‘dirty politics’
QUEBEC A furious François Legault has demanded an apology from Finance Minister Carlos Leitão for saying the Coalition Avenir Québec preaches ethnic-based nationalism.
But Leitão has refused to say he’s sorry and denies saying the CAQ or Legault are racist.
“The words I made last week were not intended to characterize the CAQ or Mr. Legault as racists,” Leitão told reporters as he emerged from a meeting of the cabinet.
“I challenge you to find these words (in the story). I did not say this last week.
“I said, yes, the CAQ likes to divide. They like to divide better than mobilize, and that is what I highlighted last week.
“I said Mr. Legault and the CAQ like to divide, like to highlight differences between different groups of society.”
Asked if he wants to apologize, Leitão said: “I said what I had to say on this subject.”
Leitão was responding to demands by Legault earlier in the day that he apologize for the comments he made in an interview published in the West Island edition of the Montreal Gazette. In the interview, Leitão explained why English-speaking Quebecers should think twice about voting CAQ in the next provincial election.
“The kind of nationalism the CAQ proposes is, in my opinion, an ethnic-based nationalism,” he said. “I’m not afraid of the words. This is what it is. They view the French majority as being under attack from all those foreigners out there.”
Legault said Leitão’s comments were “very serious, hysterical, unacceptable and sad petty political mudslinging” from a party in a panic at possible inroads the CAQ is making among minority communities.
“The Liberals have crossed the line,” Legault said. “I am asking (Premier) Philippe Couillard to demand Carlos Leitão withdraw these remarks and apologize for having made such remarks.
“I can’t believe the premier endorses such comments, that he endorses such a degrading way of conducting politics. There are no racist parties in the National Assembly.”
Legault then accused the Liberals of indulging in a systematic campaign of “organized lies and mudslinging.”
“The Liberal government is running a fear campaign designed to help themselves,” Legault said.
“Quebecers are fed up with this line that people who don’t think like the Liberals are racists.
“It’s a serious accusation, it’s unacceptable, it’s dirty politics and I think the Liberals just crossed the line.”
It is not the first time the Liberals and CAQ have squabbled over the identity issue. Two years ago, Couillard accused Legault of “blowing on the embers on intolerance” during a heated debate over immigration levels in Quebec.
Parti Québécois Leader Jean François Lisée rose to Legault’s defence Wednesday, saying the Liberals never hesitate to try to stir up emotions on issues of identity.
“We’re fed up with accusations which have no basis in fact,” Lisée told reporters. “There’s nothing ethnic about any of us — Québec solidaire, the Liberal party, the CAQ or the PQ. We simply have different legitimate proposals about language, about identity about secularism. Period.
“Mr. Leitão, as did Mr. Couillard many times in the past, they debase the political discourse by switching to accusations which have no place in a civil political discourse.
“I mean, they’re panicked. They are in a panic over the francophone vote; they are in a panic over the non-francophone vote.
“They’re pulling every lever. Shame on them.”