Legault denies being “against foreigners, anti-immigration”

Photo Simon Clark
The leader of the Coalition avenir Québec, François Legault

Marc-André Gagnon

Wednesday, march 21, 2018 15:01

UPDATE
Wednesday, march 21, 2018 15:09

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Philippe Couillard affect “the function of the prime minister and the image of Quebec,” asserting that the CAQ “is against foreigners, anti-immigration”, which is “perfectly untrue,” says François Legault.

“Me, I refuse this approach sewer”, has strongly denounced the chief caquiste, in a press briefing at the national Assembly.

In the Room, a little earlier, Jean-François Lisée and Philippe Couillard have practically a united front to criticize the approach of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) at the immigration.

The leader of the parti québecois has somehow launched the hostilities. In point of press in the first hour, Wednesday morning, Mr. Lisée has long criticized the positions of the CAQ against newcomers.

Photo Simon Clark

It has an added layer during the question period at the blue Room. As is the custom, the first question of the leader of the official opposition spoke to the prime minister, with the difference that it was rather François Legault.

“In recent days, the prime minister seemed very annoyed by the proposal of the CAQ on the test values. I understand, I understand his arguments,” said Mr. Lisée, asking the prime minister if he also shared his concern over the level of knowledge of French required for immigrants.

Couillard took the ball to the leap

The prime minister seized the ball rolling with an obvious pleasure. “I want to congratulate my colleague for his intervention, welcomed Mr. Couillard, because these proposals (those of the CAQ) are deplorable. In fact, they are retrograde for Quebec and, I would say more, uneconomical.”

Photo Simon Clark

“This is not nothing, there, the prime minister of Québec, who said that the CAQ is against foreigners, anti-immigration, it is perfectly deceptive, and then the worst of it is that Mr. Philippe Couillard knows,” responded Mr. Legault in a press conference.

A waltz PQ-PLQ

“There has been this morning to a waltz, Philippe Couillard and Jean-François Lisée who are allies to resist the changes”, has shown the chief caquiste.

Photo Simon Clark

Two weeks ago, the prime minister has compared the CAQ to populist parties of Europe. Last week, the minister of Finance, Carlos Leitao, who was associated with the CAQ to the “ethnic nationalism”. “Dirty little politics,” which has pestered Mr. Legault.

No “ethnic nationalism”, according to Lisée

Then no one in the government has condemned the remarks of M. Leitao, M. Côté, for his part, has refused to endorse.

“Ethnic nationalism is a nationalism that is based on inheritance and, therefore, the generational transmission to define a group, reported the head of the parti québecois. This is not the case at all, in that of the CAQ, he recognized. It makes no ethnic discrimination among immigrants it will accept or deport them: it just makes a discrimination stupid. And what it does is that it weakens the French language in Quebec, it insécurise with a values test.”