(Quebec) MP Haroun Bouazzi criticizes the Legault government for refusing to adopt a motion to the National Assembly to call for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. “It’s a shame,” the solidarity demonstrator complained through tears on Thursday.
Published at 9:42 am. Updated at 10:28 am.
“They ask me what I think about it. These are human beings, I think, and every human being must demand a ceasefire. And that’s Quebec, that’s not what the CAQ has set out to do [mercredi], that’s Quebec. It’s a shame ! ” complained the Quebec Solidaire MP with a lump in his throat, just before leaving the room where a press conference was taking place.
Québec Solidaire submitted a motion on Wednesday that “the National Assembly calls for an immediate ceasefire by all parties to the conflict in Israel and Palestine and reiterates that all parties respect international law.” Only the CAQ, which is in the majority, did not agree to the motion, so the text could not be adopted.
“We all agree that we do not like to see civilians and children who are victims of this conflict. At the same time, we must be careful that there is no message in which we deny Israel’s defense against a terrorist group,” replied François Legault on Thursday. “It is still serious what Hamas did to children, among other things. We have to be careful, we want peace, we want it to stop, at the same time we have to be careful about the words we use,” he added Prime Minister.
At a press conference, Mr. Bouazzi was asked to speak on the network the day before [Benyamin] Netanyahu or every 15 minutes for 24 [jour] A child is murdered. Quebec deserves better.”
“The CAQ does not join today with the extreme majority of governments represented at the United Nations calling for a ceasefire,” said Mr. Bouazzi, who answered questions on the news alongside his colleague Etienne Grandmont. The latter, also shocked by his colleague’s reaction, stopped the exercise after Mr. Bouazzi’s hasty departure.
“There is nothing else to say. They are not calling for a ceasefire. there is nothing else to say. It’s a shame. These children are not animals, as the Israeli military says, they are people. They are people. This is not possible,” Mr. Bouazzi repeated through tears.
Québec Solidaire parliamentary leader Alexandre Leduc said he received confirmation “fairly early” from the Parti Québécois and the Liberal Party of Quebec that they would support the motion. “It took longer with the CAQ, they put forward an amendment that aimed to change the main condition of the ceasefire. They wanted to cancel the ceasefire and add the reference to international law,” he said.
Québec Solidaire chose to add this note but retain the word “ceasefire.”
The government’s parliamentary leader, Simon Jolin-Barrette, did not want to comment on the exchange between the parties about the text of the motion.
Elected officials shaken
Parti Québécois MPs Pascal Paradis and Pascal Bérubé, who followed Québec Solidaire, were also shocked by Mr Bouazzi’s departure. “It is OK?” » asked Mr Bérubé as he presented himself at the lectern. “Yesterday’s application was simple. It was a judgment, a call for peace, a call for a ceasefire, because there are thousands of civilian victims in this conflict,” concluded Mr. Paradis.
It is a call for peace. Why is the government unable to join our call for peace when everyone sees the atrocities happening on the ground every day? Ask her.
Pascal Paradis, member of the Parti Québécois
“I think it is appropriate that from now on there is a humanitarian ceasefire,” responded interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay. “This is an extremely sensitive issue, this is our clear position, the CAQ has a different position, I will let it be explained,” he added. Mr Tanguay assured on Thursday that it was a “caucus position”.
Radio-Canada reported Wednesday that Liberal MP Brigitte Garceau fired a staffer from her constituency office after she liked pro-Palestinian posts on social media. Ms Garceau is also the official opposition’s spokesperson for international relations. “In such a case there may be recourse claims on both sides, I will not comment further on that,” he said.
However, Mr. Tanguay added that he expects political staff not to post content “that would be in complete contradiction to the positions of the Quebec Liberal Party.”
With Charles Lecavalier and Hugo Pilon-Larose, La Presse