French PM treads fine line in Quebec
Says praising secularism law not meddling
QUEBEC • The prime minister of France has denied meddling in Canadian and Quebec policy matters by telling Quebec it is on the right track in acting to protect the French language and adopting controversial secularism laws.
After defending himself by telling reporters he is always careful about what he says about domestic policies in other countries — and would not like politicians coming to his country to tell it what to do — Gabriel Attal was asked whether his comments in a speech at the National Assembly on Thursday went too far.
“I believe it is my responsibility, when I am abroad and when I speak to democratically elected politicians who have chosen this model ... to tell them they are not alone with this model,” Attal said at a news conference closing his visit to Quebec City.
He was flanked by Quebec Premier François Legault while the former and current ministers of laicity in Quebec stood nearby.
“Is this interfering in political debate in Canada? I don’t think so,” Attal said in fluent English after insisting on making the same statement in French first.
“Every time I was questioned about the debate that can exist politically in Canada, I always responded that my responsibility is not to interfere but my responsibility, and my conviction, is to tell what the French model is and to tell people who support the French model that they are not alone.”
On Thursday, Attal, on his first foreign mission since being appointed French prime minister in January, raised eyebrows when he made glowing remarks on the floor of the legislature about French and Quebec efforts to advance secularism. He described secularism as one “one of pillars of freedom,” because it creates equality and said jurisdictions that apply such rules have nothing to be ashamed of.
“To those who insist on not understanding what laicity is, who try to deform it, to make it seem it is somehow an anti-religion weapon, to make people think it is a form of negation of religion, to say it is a form of discrimination, we respond that laicity is a condition of freedom, equality and fraternity,” Attal said.
“We should never be ashamed of these values, our values, so let us defend them every day, with strength, conviction and courage, defend them without ceding a millimetre to those who want to call them into question, defend them because they are at the heart of our identity.”
Legault and the Parti Québécois MNAS in the sitting applauded the speech, but the Liberal and Québec solidaire MNAS — who voted against Quebec secularism law Bill 21 when it was adopted in 2019 — did not.
Bill 21 bars public servants in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols such as hijabs, kippahs and crosses.
Before Attal answered the question at the Thursday news conference, Legault lauded Attal’s speech for the second time in two days.
“It does us good to have a French prime minister who comes to say you are not alone in fighting for secularism,” Legault said. “We know a majority of Quebecers support Bill 21, so it’s good to see these debates are also taking place in France and Europe and that Quebecers are not alone.”
The controversy came the same week as a decision by the English Montreal School Board to appeal Bill 21 to the Supreme Court of Canada.
The federal government intends to make representations in the case on rights and freedoms, but Attal said secularism was not on the agenda when he met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday in Ottawa.
Attal had more to say as well on his government’s traditional political doctrine when it comes to the issue of Quebec’s future in Canada. For many years, France’s position has been one of “non-interference, non-indifference,” a policy Attal supported when asked about it Wednesday in Ottawa.
“I find this phrase speaks volumes and I am very comfortable with it,” Attal said with Trudeau standing beside him.
But at his Thursday news conference in Quebec City, Attal said he found the policy had too many negatives. He said he’d like to go with what he called the “etet” policy as in “Et sensibilité et respect” (sensitivity and respect).
“Sensitivity because we can’t be insensitive to this debate taking place in Quebec,” Attal said. “And respect because we obviously have to respect Quebec’s in its ability to manage these internal political debates democratically.”
He would not go further but, in closing his news conference, he added a line that could be interpreted in many ways.
“Quebec is a nation which has taken its destiny in hand and is following its star,” he said.
The news conference was also a kind of mutual admiration affair with Legault describing Attal, at 35 the youngest ever named French prime minister, as a “brilliant and friendly man.” Attal responding by calling the premier “Cher François.”
QUEBEC IS A NATION WHICH HAS TAKEN ITS DESTINY IN HAND.