Premier repeats attacks on Gazette reporter

Premier François Legault once again took aim at Montreal Gazette reporter Aaron Derfel on Thursday.

During a parliamentary commission, Legault accused the reporter of systematically working to discredit his government.

These comments marked the third attack against Derfel and came during a study of 2020-21 budgetary items dedicated to Quebec’s anglophone community.

Opposition MNA Gregory Kelley said the premier’s statement was “unacceptable” and an attempt to intimidate the free press. Kelley said he wondered whether it’s easier for Legault to get away with attacking an anglophone reporter.

Either way, he said, targeting journalists should be out of bounds for any government.

Derfel has been a health reporter for 20 years. He broke the shocking story of the Résidence Herron CHSLD, where dozens of seniors died of COVID -19 amid horrid living conditions.

“I’d invite you to go see Mr. Derfel’s tweets from the last six months,” Legault said. “Even people in the opposition say they always lean toward some claim that the government is no good.”

Claiming he wanted to be prudent in speaking about Derfel, Legault said the reporter has published “at least 10 articles” directly or indirectly accusing the premier of lying.

In June, Legault blocked Derfel on Twitter and derisively referred to him as a quote-unquote “journalist.” Facing immediate backlash, Legault unblocked Derfel.

Kelley compared the premier’s attitude toward journalism to that of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Also on Thursday, Legault alluded to a poll, published in May, that found anglophones are more worried about COVID -19 than francophones. He in part attributed this to the Montreal Gazette’s journalism, suggesting the publication is fear-mongering.