the Liberal Party must show « humility », says the PQ

The Liberal Party of Quebec (PQL) must recognize the Parti Québécois (PQ) and Québec solidaire (QS) as parliamentary groups in the National Assembly following their poor performance in the elections, implores PQ MP Pascal Bérubé. According to him, the Liberal Party must show “humility”, knowing that it collected fewer votes than the PQ.

On Monday, the PLQ succeeded in keeping the status of Official Opposition by electing 21 deputies. However, the party received tens of thousands of votes less than the PQ and QS, which elected only 11 deputies and 3 deputies respectively.

Since then, leader Dominique Anglade has refused to confirm that she will recognize these two parties as official parliamentary groups. This obviously displeases Québec solidaire (11 deputies) and the Parti Québécois (3 deputies). Some consider the situation unfair.

We cannot accept that from a party that garnered fewer votes than us. I invite [la cheffe du Parti libéral Dominique] Anglade to introspection, to humility.

Pascal Bérubé, MP for Matane-Matapédia

Clear rules, but often adapted

The parliamentary rules are clear. To count among the recognized groups, a party must elect 12 deputies or collect at least 20% of the vote. Otherwise, all elected MPs are instead recognized as independents. The parties thus lose privileges, such as additional funding and the right to ask questions in the National Assembly.

However, an agreement with the groups that reach the thresholds makes it possible to circumvent the rule. Thus, QS and the PQ were recognized as parliamentary groups in 2018 with only 10 deputies each.

The re-elected prime minister, François Legault, is open to recognizing these parties. But the agreement of the Liberals remains necessary. Over the past few days, Dominique Anglade has not let his game show. “The indications we have are that within their caucus, they do not want to divide their visibility with two other parties” , comments the deputy Pascal Bérubé, during a press conference. We understood that this refusal is mainly aimed at QS, to whom the Liberals do not want to give oxygen.

The Liberals lost two strongholds, the ridings of Maurice-Richard and Verdun, to Québec solidaire. “I invite them to be better, taunted Mr. Bérubé. So they won’t have to play those kinds of tactics anymore. »

According to the PQ, the Liberals have about ten days to change their minds regarding the recognition of opposition parties in the National Assembly. It will be too late thereafter, as the deputies will have already been sworn in to the National Assembly.

On Wednesday, Dominique Anglade had refused to say whether she would support the opposition parties. “If the government is not open to parliamentary reform, it will be very difficult,” she limited herself to commenting. On Friday, the director of communications attached to Dominique Anglade, Jeremy Ghio, limited himself to commenting that the chef will « not make negotiations in the public square ».