The Legault government cancels the event of an anti-abortion promoter at the Convention Center

The Quebec City Convention Center, the Montreal Convention Center and the Olympic Park will now have to ensure that the events they host respect the “fundamental principles of Quebec”, announced the Legault government, after forcing the cancellation of an anti-abortion rally.

Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx confirmed Friday morning that her cabinet has intervened with the Quebec City Convention Center to have an event organized by a pro-life promoter canceled. This decision was unanimously supported by the three opposition parties.

The “Faith, Fire, Freedom Rally”, orchestrated by Harvest Ministries International, an organization based in Kelowna, British Columbia, was to bring together 1,000 people a day at the state corporation’s premises, Radio-Canada revealed on Friday. .

The promoter’s website leads in particular to the page of the “Canadian firewall”, an initiative that denounces in full the legalization of abortion in Canada in 1969.

“We must pray for the sanctity of life, and for abortion to end in Canada,” reads, among other things.

“As soon as we were informed of the situation, I asked that we pull the plug summed up Minister Proulx to the parliamentary press.

“We will not allow anti-abortion groups to be able to put on big shows in public bodies,” the Premier of Quebec said for his part.

“We are a resolutely pro-choice government. So you have to be consistent. I would also like to thank Caroline for her vigilance on this and also for her promptness to act,” commented in turn the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Martine Biron.

A loss of $60,000

The cancellation of this event results in a loss of approximately $60,000 for the Center des congrès de Québec, indicated Minister Proulx.

His cabinet took the opportunity to send a message to its president and CEO, as well as to those of the two other government corporations, the Palais des congrès de Montréal and the Olympic Park.

“Because it is against the fundamental principles of Quebec, […] this type of event will not take place with us, pointed out Ms. Proulx. And I advised the CEO (of the Center des congrès de Québec) this morning that there will be no support for the company that has to relocate. She will have to do it alone. »

What exactly “principles” will the three Crown corporations need to monitor? “The fundamental principles of the state, I think it’s clear,” said Minister Proulx, without further supporting her directive.

Is the secularism of the state one of these “great principles”? “I gave during the election campaign on this,” said the Prime Minister, when questioned on this point.

Not a first

Joined by our Parliamentary Office, the CEO of the Center des congrès de Québec, Pierre-Michel Bouchard, did not want to recognize if he had made a “mistake” in hosting this event, as Minister Proulx said on Friday. .

“When you sign with an organization, the program for the event is not there,” explained Mr. Bouchard. In this case, the agreement was signed last February.

This is not the first time that the Quebec City Convention Center has canceled an event, he observed, giving the example of a promoter “who seemed to be promoting cannabis” and of another “who did everything in English”, refusing to translate his material into French.