The political class in utter shock by Justin Trudeau

AFP

Maxime Huard

Friday, February 23, 2018 17:56

UPDATE
Friday, February 23, 2018 18:23

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OTTAWA – Criticized from all sides, Justin Trudeau has denied on Friday that compared the québec independance movement for the violent separatist sikh. If the prime minister has indeed made the comparison, it is irresponsible, and without foundation, consider several stakeholders.

“The movement khalistanais [the name of the State claimed by the nationalist sikhs] has made use of a great violence, especially at its peak in the 80’s and 90’s. Despite episodes of violence, with the FLQ, it’s been many decades that the sovereigntists in Quebec have recourse to peaceful and democratic means”, explained the professor of politics at McGill University, Narendra Subramanian.

The separatist sikhs are, for example, responsible for the bombing of the Air India flight 182, which killed more than 300 in 1985.

During a meeting with the chief minister of the Punjab, which has long been the Trudeau government of complacency towards the nationalist sikhs, the canadian prime minister would have cited the example of the sovereignty in quebec to show “that he had done in the face of such threats all his life and that he was fully aware of the dangers of the violence”.

Justin Trudeau has denied having made the comparison reported in a press release the government of Punjab. “The report is entirely false. I did not say that”, assured the prime minister of Canada in a press conference in Delhi, saying they are proud of the diversity of opinions in the country.

A right recognized

If the prime minister has indeed taken the words alleged, it would be an approach irresponsible, according to professor of law at the University of Montreal, Daniel Turp.

“A canadian leader should never venture out on this field-here”, commented the head of the Institute of research on the self-determination of peoples and national independence.

After the ex-mp of the parti québecois, Justin Trudeau should rather remind the international that the supreme Court has recognized Quebec’s right to independence.

A source of pride, ” said Couillard

For his part, the prime minister of Quebec said, “we can be proud” of the way in which the question of sovereignty is handled in the province.

“Of course, we had the episodes of the’ 60s, the October crisis, but since those years, she was treated to a very peaceful and democratic in Quebec,” said Philippe Couillard, on a trip to Washington.

If Justin Trudeau was beautiful and well kept about him or her, Mr. Couillard said he was, for once, agree with his political opponents.

Anger in the ranks sovereignists

In fact, the comments alleged to have bitten to the quick the leader of the Parti québécois (PQ), Jean-François Lisée. “That Justin Trudeau ridicules in India, it is his business. But identifying the pro-independence movement quebec the current violence is misleading and disrespectful,” wrote on Twitter the leader of the opposition in the national Assembly.

The co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, has criticised the fact that the prime minister accuses his hosts of lying and demanded an apology. “@JustinTrudeau is he willing to go to please the international?” he asked on the social network.

The leader of the Bloc québécois, Martine Ouellet, has described as deceitful insinuations attributed to the prime minister. “It is dirty to the international reputation of the millions of Quebecers who have this project of freedom,” she said.

Outrage at the federal

The about the alleged Justin Trudeau were also sown anger in of the main opposition parties at the federal level.

“This is a huge blunder. It is insulting to the sovereigntist movement in Quebec, which is democratic and peaceful, and it is also insulting to the Indians, for which this regional conflict has claimed more than 80 000 people dead,” said the lieutenant québécois New democratic Party, Alexandre Boulerice, in a press conference in Ottawa.

The conservatives have denounced a “total lack of judgement”. “If he has given such remarks, they are fools. Justin Trudeau compares the quebec sovereigntists to an extremist movement that is violent. It is unworthy of its function”, indicated the québec lieutenant of the official opposition, Alain Rayes, by issuing a press release.

– With the collaboration of Marc-André Gagnon, parliamentary Bureau