CAQ declarations on immigration: “dangerous” remarks, says Anglade

The Liberal leader reacted strongly on Wednesday to the comments of Jean Boulet and François Legault on immigration.

• Read also: Jean Boulet « disqualified » from the post of Minister of Immigration, says Legault

A statement from the outgoing Minister of Immigration dating from last week set things on fire.

Jean Boulet said that 80% of immigrants « do not work, do not speak French, or do not adhere to the values ​​of Quebec society », during a debate in Mauricie on September 21. He defended himself by saying « to have expressed his thoughts badly ».

As that statement surfaced Wednesday morning, Premier François Legault said raising the thresholds beyond 50,000 newcomers a year would be “suicidal.”

Dominique Anglade’s press briefing, which was to address the issue of the labor shortage, was almost entirely devoted to his reactions to the comments of the CAQ team.

The Liberal leader notably denounced the use of the word “suicidal” by the Prime Minister. “After the two days that we have just spent talking about Amélie Champagne, I find the word particularly badly chosen and with a flagrant lack of empathy”, she launched in reference to the suicide of a young girl affected. headline-grabbing Lyme disease.

Bring together

Passing through the Quebec region, Ms. Anglade took the example of Liberal candidates from diverse backgrounds, present behind her, to call on Quebecers to “come together”. For several weeks, she has accused François Legault of seeking to divide citizens, particularly around immigration.

As for the excuses of Jean Boulet, she does not believe it. « He made those comments on September 21 and today he wakes up to apologize…it’s not going through. I mean, it’s ridiculous and that’s enough, there, the apologies, ”she said.

They deplore both the statements of MM. Legault and Boulet. « These are words that are dangerous because they fuel fear of the other, they divide Quebecers, they are false, in addition, » she said.

« They hurt, because we are telling people, children of immigrants, immigrants, people of several generations, people who are perhaps six generations and who have decided to marry someone who also comes from elsewhere… To all these people, basically we come to tell them: well, finally, the person you are with, the person you are, well, maybe she doesn’t really fit in Quebec, » she added.

Faced with the accumulation of negative comments from the CAQ leader on immigration, the Liberal leader believes that we can no longer see it as a simple slippage. “When we have used all these words, they are no longer errors. These are deliberate choices you make. He deliberately chooses closure. He deliberately makes the choice of division, ”she believes.

More details will follow.