After The Battle, Martine Ouellet could send other warnings

PHOTO AGENCE QMI, JOEL LEMAY
The head of the Bloc québécois, Martine Ouellet

Patrick Bellerose

Friday, 23 march, 2018 16:20

UPDATE
Friday, 23 march 2018 17:32

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The lawyer of the head of the Bloc québécois, Guy Bertrand, explained on Friday the reasons for the notice sent to the show The Game, in addition to announcing that it has received the mandate to scrutinize the content of other news media.

In the beginning of the week, Martine Ouellet has sent a formal notice addressed to the TVA Group, as well as the moderator and the panelists of the show to The Game. She blames them for having asserted, in the issue of 8 march, that it would be “dishonest”, in addition to having failed to balance in the words of the commentators.

Bernard Drainville, Luc Lavoie and Caroline St-Hilaire then discussed the decision of the head of bloquiste to submit a referendum to its members a question about the mission of the political party, in order to put an end to the internal conflict which led to the resignation of seven members of parliament.

“The remarks which have been required, particularly the word “dishonest”, are of extreme gravity. And it is that which has shaken very much, madame Ouellet, explained to Me Guy Bertrand at a press conference. They are serious, because the honesty, for a politician, […] it’s the base, it is base, it is the cornerstone of his entire political career.”

File Photo, Daniel Mallard

The two children and the mother of Martine Ouellet, have also suffered “damage and inconvenience” because of these remarks, ” says the notice.

Censorship?

Martine Ouellet required that the facilitator Paul Larocque to play in the waves, before Thursday, a retraction drafted by his lawyer. In the absence of withdrawal, Me Guy Bertrand says that the politician would now have the right to apply to the superior Court for damages and interests.

However, no judicial process is envisaged for the moment. “This is a woman who has not a lot of money, this is a woman who has a lower income,” said Guy Bertrand, pointing out that lawsuits are often lengthy and expensive.

The well known lawyer defends himself seek to muzzle the media, with its remains, but acknowledges that it could lead to the journalists and commentators to be more careful. “It can make service to the society so that journalists do not allow themselves anything, told Me Guy Bertrand. You know, the journalists – I called often the parrots of the information, it is as if they could never commit a mistake.”

“It is an imbalance in total compared to the citizen”, he adds.

Other media referred to

In addition, mr. Guy Bertrand has revealed that Martine Ouellet could send other warnings to various media outlets in quebec. “We have the mandate to examine other texts, of other about,” said Guy Bertrand, without wanting to specify the media to be targeted.

A few minutes after the press conference, the facilitator Paul Larocque said in an interview with LCN, the notice will not change anything in the debates to The Game. “We will continue to do our job, not more not less, without letting themselves be distracted”, he said.

For his part, the president of the Fédération professionnelle des journalistes du Québec has strongly denounced the maneuver. “We are used to hear politicians complaining about the media, but to threaten prosecution to those who dare to criticize it, I find it a little obscene,” says Stéphane Giroux. Ms. Ouellet is an attack on democracy by attempting to silence the commentators.”