PSPP defends the controversial remarks of two candidates

The leader of the Parti Québécois defended controversial statements on the Muslim religion and visible minorities from two of his candidates, after asking them to retract or delete their publications.

• Read also: Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s place is in the National Assembly

“Why do visible minorities resist so much when they are arrested? I would like to get an answer from someone who is part of it. Thank you”, wrote on Twitter in November 2021, Suzanne Gagnon, the PQ candidate in La Pinière.

On Wednesday morning, the leader of the PQ defended the remarks made by his candidate, arguing that it was a series of tweets and which should be considered as a whole.

« There are two consecutive tweets and they are linked (…) The second tweet is missing (…) They go together (…) There is a sequel, » said the PSPP.

But the boss is wrong. Suzanne Gagnon did make another tweet, but two months later. On January 11, 2022, she responded to a criticism of the prejudices she harbors towards minorities.

“I only think that resisting an arrest is putting yourself in danger for nothing, especially if you are part of a visible minority because of the racial profiling that exists,” defended the PQ candidate. « I find it strange that you perceive me as a racist, because I have and had friends from minorities. »

Other intention, pleads PSPP

Paul St-Pierre-Plamondon then claimed that he was not defending his candidate, that he had even asked her to apologize and delete the publication. « I asked him to remove that because it’s very awkward, » he said, then trying to qualify Ms.^me Gagnon.

“What she is saying is that racial profiling exists. Clearly, her intention is that she is concerned about the injuries suffered during arrests by people in visible minorities.

Other case

Yesterday, the PQ leader also defended his candidate in Sainte-Rose, Lyne Jubinville. The latter has repeatedly criticized the Muslim religion.

« Islam is not us, » wrote the candidate, for example, and « why are hijabs invading our public landscape more and more? » She also wrote.

M^me Jubinville made amends, which convinced the PQ leader to keep him in his ranks.

On Wednesday morning, he pleaded that his candidate’s remarks were not Islamophobic, that M^me Jubinville was a feminist and criticized all monotheistic religions.