Anti-monarchy PQ puts on brave face as caucus sworn in
The band of 10 Parti QUEBEC Québécois election winners took office Friday, altering their oath of allegiance to the Queen with a simple protest preamble.
Starting with interim leader Pascal Bérubé, the 10 PQ candidates one by one added the simple phrase “While waiting for Quebec to become a country,” to the standard oath to Queen Elizabeth they are required to pronounce to be legally recognized as MNAs under the Canadian constitution.
Their anti-monarchy tactic was a bit different from the one employed by the 10 Québec solidaire MNAs on Wednesday.
In their case they were sworn in behind closed doors rather than be seen in public taking the oath.
Where the two pro-independence parties had a meeting of the minds was on the Canadian flag: both had it removed from the historic red room where such ceremonies are held.
But after the PQ’s devastating fall from grace with voters Oct. 1, the mood was at times bittersweet.
They put on a brave face anyway, as did former PQ leader JeanFrançois Lisée, who arrived to witness the ceremony.
Having lost his own riding of Rosemont and resigned the party leadership the night of the election loss, Lisée watched from the gallery along with another former PQ leader, Pierre Karl Péladeau.
“I wanted to be present, salute them and show I am with them,” Lisée said in his first comments since the election night loss.
“This caucus of the PQ is really needed. Quebec needs to hear their voice and I’m sure they ’ll do a fantastic job.
“I feel fine. Of course I miss you and your questions,” he added tongue firmly in cheek.
Lisée refused to conduct any kind of post-mortem of the campaign, saying that will happen later.
Asked if he had any wise words to offer the gaggle of MNAs left, Lisée was quick on his feet.
“I’m all out,” he said pushing forward.
In his remarks following the oath ceremony, Bérubé insisted the dream of making Quebec a country is still alive despite the electoral setback.
He told caucus if they are in politics it is for one thing: independence.
“It is born of a dream we will never give up until it comes true,” he said.
But at a news conference later, Bérubé played it cautious on the issue of the crucifix hanging over the speaker’s chair in the legislature.
He said the PQ’s position is the same: the issue should be debated internally by the legislature’s administration committee.
“We are ready to debate this,” Bérubé said, noting the governing Coalition Avenir Québec government won’t even entertain that idea.
“There is an openness to debate and see if there is not a place which is more appropriate (to put it).”
The swearing in of the 10 PQ MNAs puts an end to the weeklong process. The National Assembly resumes sitting Nov. 27 with the election of a new speaker and an inaugural address.