PQ seeks to shut down racist site ahead of Quebec election
MONTREAL — A “racist” website displaying embarrassing comments from Parti Québécois members was one of the highlights Friday on Day 37 of Quebec’s election campaign.
Entering the final weekend before Monday’s vote, the PQ went to court to try to shut down a website the party said was using its logo to spread racist messages online. The website also includes authentic quotations from PQ Leader Jean-François Lisée about burkas and from one of his candidates using an offensive term for black people on Twitter.
The website, serieusement.fun, uses the PQ’s logo, and the site’s background colour is similar to the party’s signature blue.
Visitors to the site are invited to type in a message above the party’s official slogan, “Seriously,” and to share the meme they create on social media.
It also gives visitors examples of messages to type into the program as “inspiration.”
One of the examples is a quote Lisée gave to Le Devoir in 2016 when he was running for his party’s leadership: “AK-47s under burqas, it’s proven.”
Lisée was criticized at the time for his words, which suggested Islamic women could hide weapons under their clothing.
The PQ has filed a request for a court injunction to have the site — whose creator is unknown — shut down.
“This internet site — to which we don’t want to give visibility — uses without authorization our image and logo in order to ties us to statements that we estimate are racist and defamatory.”
Quebec’s electoral officer said Friday that about 18 per cent of eligible voters have already voted, down from the 19 per cent who took advantage of advance polls in the 2014 provincial election.
Out of 6.2 million registered voters, 1.1 million cast a ballot from Sept. 21-27.
An Ipsos poll published Friday by La Presse and Global News, indicated a tight race, with the Coalition Avenir Québec at 32 per cent support and the ruling Liberals at 31 per cent. The PQ came in third with 18 per cent, and Québec solidaire had 16 per cent. Ipsos surveyed 1,250 adult Quebecers online and by telephone, from Sept. 26-28.