Bloc quebecois: the group of seven persist and sign

Photo Boris Proulx
The deputies bloquistes Michel Boudrias, Rhéal Fortin, Simon Marcil, Monique Pauzé, Louis Plamondon, Luc Thériault and Gabriel Ste-Marie.

Maxime Huard

Saturday, 3 march, 2018 04:00

UPDATE
Saturday, 3 march, 2018 04:00

Look at this article

OTTAWA – ON the eve of a meeting where they could be repudiated by their own party, the seven members of parliament who have resigned from the Bloc québécois published in The “Journal de Montréal” a letter where they camped on their position and serve as a warning to their highest levels.

“When a car is travelling at 200 km/h towards a wall, the loyalty of the co-pilot, that is to say that if it continues, it will crash. The submission is to be silent and to go inside the wall!” write the elected officials who have left the caucus last Wednesday.

They recall the “climate of perpetual conflicts and tensions” that reigns within the party under the leadership of Martine Ouellet, as well as the clash of visions that led to their departure: the active promotion of the independence of the side of the head and defence of Québec’s interests on the other.

Ensuring that they will remain a “strong voice” for Quebec, those who now sit as a parliamentary Group in quebec have a warning for the national office: “[he] decided to exclude us permanently, he will have helped, we are certain, upon the death of the Bloc québécois.”

It is in Montreal that will be decided Saturday, the fate of the deputies who resigned. No discussion is provided about a possible departure of Ms. Ouellet, requested by the seven elected.

“Human dramas”

In an interview with the QMI Agency, the member of parliament for Terrebonne, Michel Boudrias, has called on the parties of the two sides to exercise caution. “As a former infantry officer in Afghanistan, I know that the contexts of emotionally loaded can interfere with the accurate perception of the actions to be taken” shows there.

A member of the Bloc since 1995, the politician, 41-year-old will keep a clear conscience, whatever happens, and ensures that the group of seven is “welded irreversibly”. Nevertheless, at the end of the line, his voice betrayed all the emotion of the last days.

“There are human tragedies behind it. It is sad to see friendships break up, he says repeatedly during the conversation. If I have a message to send, is that we need to unite behind the cause.”

The chief disputed reiterated Friday that his door remained open. “Martine, though a little shaken by it all, persist, and do not keep any bitterness, despite the flood of negativity. The expulsion of the seven is not desirable,” said his spokesman, Antoni Gilbert.

Campaign pressure

To add to the pressure on the head that clings, two executive councils, regional, those of Berthier-Maskinongé and Portneuf-Jacques-Cartier, demanded on Friday the resignation of Ms. Ouellet and the return of the group of seven within the caucus.

On the same day, former bloquistes have signed in to The “Duty” an open letter calling for the departure of Martine Ouellet. The ex-chief Gilles Duceppe and former mps Pierre Paquette and Vivian Barbot included among the signatories.

“By his side, cleaving, Martine Ouellet weakens the voice of Quebec in Ottawa at the same time, he needs a strong voice,” they argued in their letter.

Difficult time

Friday, the Radio-Canada “Tout le monde en parle” has released a video promoting its episode Sunday with extracts showing the leader of the Bloc québécois.

Ms. Ouellet said to have the strong support of the bodies of the party, but admits that what is happening in this moment is difficult.

“It is certain that this week, listen, there, it is difficult, it is difficult to receive as it a charge, I would tell you, personal attacks. Personal, so that…, I would say… totally disproportionate. Many, many untruths in it, with no opportunities to be able to correct. Attacks from moderators, commentators, again, personal, often fake. […] Slander. We see it in the size of newspapers, the news … “

She ensures that she has no intention of leaving, as some have requested.

“Me, I’m here to stay, despite the difficulties. The policy, it does not look bad to an extreme sport. […] It is necessary to have good health.”

In the matter of Guy A. Lepage, who asks her if she receives “the call of mothers-in-law, grand-mothers or the people around the party,” Ms. Ouellet replied that”they don’t even need to call, they go straight to the tv!”