Haroun Bouazzi expected firmly in Quebec

Quebec Solidaire (QS) MP Haroun Bouazzi risks being the subject of a group shooting when parliamentary work resumes on Tuesday, due to his controversial remarks on racism in the National Assembly.

The main party is expected to arrive in Quebec. According to our information, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ), the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) and the Parti Québécois (PQ) all intend to table a motion to condemn his comments on Tuesday.

The MP, in the opinion of his opponents, splashed the entire political class by delivering a controversial speech at a gala organized earlier this month by the Club Avenir Foundation, a OSBL working for the integration of Maghreb communities into the host society.

Mr. Bouazzi then stated that he was every day witness to the National Assembly of remarks aimed at build the other (who is) – maghrébin, Muslim, noir, indigenous – and its culture which, by definition, would be dangerous or inferior.

The affair broke out last Thursday while the deputies were not in Quebec, after the publication of a column by Montreal Journal highlighting this statement which has since caused much ink to flow.

Mr. Bouazzi’s remarks were notably described as clumsyd’exaggerated and of polarizing by the spokespersons of his own political party.

Divided on the subject, the delegates of QSwho met in congress this weekend, adopted a half-hearted emergency motion behind closed doors on Sunday.

This stipulates in particular that the party does not believe that the elected representatives of the National Assembly are racist, but it sentenced Also the smear campaign directed against the Montreal MP, who has received numerous hate messages since the media coverage of his controversial remarks.

A sanction still possible

And QS hoped to find a way through and put an end to this controversy, which notably overshadowed the election of Ruba Ghazal as female spokesperson for the party on Sunday, the case is not closed yet .

According to information from 98.5 FM confirmed by -, several members of the caucus still want the expulsion of Mr. Bouazzi, not only because of the comments he made to the Club Avenir Foundation, but also because of the attitude of the MP, who, again according to these MPs, struggles to “play as a team”.

However, it is important to point out that due to the statutes of QSthe parliamentary wing of the party could not expel Mr. Bouazzi from the caucus, but rather suspend him. It is the Congress or the National Council of QS who would then be responsible for confirming or denying the MP’s ouster.

Haroun Bouazzi is currently spokesperson for the second opposition group on economy and innovation; in matters of energy; in terms of cybersecurity and digital technology; and in financial matters. He is also responsible for the Chaudière-Appalaches region and the Laval region.

In theory, it is he who should give the answer to the Minister of Finance, Eric Girard, who will present his fall economic update a little later this week, Thursday. A reshuffle of the shadow cabinet of QSin this context, could be carried out.

One, two, three motions?

Discontent also persists in the government and other opposition parties, so much so that the parliamentary leaders of the CAQof PLQ a you PQ are currently discussing the follow-up to this matter.

The wording of the CAQ motion has not been clarified. But the liberal will ask that the Assembly dissociates itself from any declaration suggesting that elected officials are racist, emphasizing that such comments harm the maintenance of the necessary consensus regarding the fight against racism and any other form of discrimination in our society.

The PQin the same way, intends to invite the Assembly to affirm that none of its members are motivated by racism and the negative or inferior construction of “the other”.

Making similar comments can undermine the legitimacy of the National Assembly, harm community life and weaken the confidence of all Quebecers in Quebec’s democratic institutions.concludes the draft motion.

Personally targeted by Haroun Bouazzi during an interview that the latter gave to the Montreal show All one morningFriday, on ICI PREMIÈRE, ministers Christian Dubé and Lionel Carmant also expressed their dismay, Monday, at the events of the weekend.

Québec solidaire’s decision is not clear, lamented Mr. Dubé in a written statement sent to -. The co-spokespeople condemned Mr. Bouazzi’s remarks, now they support him and do not [le] no longer condemn so directly. It’s hard to follow.

I am extremely disappointed in QSadded Minister Carmant. Nothing was done [par le parti] to call his deputy to order. On the contrary, we add insult to injury by condoning his remarks.

Even former Prime Minister Pauline Marois commented on the subject on Monday, saying in an interview on the show Penelope that Haroun Bouazzi should apologize to avoid the situation fester.

For the moment, it is not expected that the President of the National Assembly, Nathalie Roy, will take a position or make a statement on this subject. It will not intervene at this time, leaving the parties and elected officials to decide among themselves the follow-up they wish to give to what is now commonly called the Bouazzi affair.

With information from Sébastien Bovet, Marie-Hélène Tremblay and Véronique Prince.