In the wake of the resignation of the mayor of Gatineau and the numerous cases that have emerged of a toxic working atmosphere in local politics, political scientist Régine Laurent advocates for the public to stop attacking elected officials without good reason.
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During the segment “Le Billet de Régine” on the program “Le Bilan”, the former president of the Interprofessional Health Federation of Quebec (FIQ) denounces members of the public taking up speaking time at municipal councils for no reason.
“We in the communities with what I call professional nuisance cuckoos,” she says. These are people who show up at every council meeting to monopolize speaking time, to disgust everyone because the trash was picked up later than usual, or, what do you mean the rink is closed?
“Well, it’s closed, it’s been hot this winter, it’s still not the elected officials’ fault! exclaims Ms. Laurent. So these professional troublemakers who treat elected officials […] Whether it's big cows or bitches on local councils, at some point we have to put an end to it. We must prevent this minority from hijacking our local democracy. That’s what they do.”
The political analyst also denounces statements about certain elected officials being too sensitive to play politics.
“I don’t agree with that at all,” she said. I want sensitive people, people who dare to put their faces on a post because they have a desire to serve, I want sensitive people who listen to the people we are and the services we provide We need in our lives, we care about neighborhoods and in our cities.”
“I am not naive, I know that politics is based on confrontation,” she continues. But it should be a clash of arguments, different visions and different solutions to the same problem.”
Ms. Laurent encourages the Minister of Municipal Affairs to create a comprehensive picture of the unhealthy situations in Quebec town halls.
She also has a message for people who attack elected officials on social media.
“Those big, cowardly, shy bastards who think they're going to hide behind their computer keyboard when you need to be protected by a computer screen, to me, they're just a loser,” he says. She. A loser who is no match for the elected officials who have the courage to act openly and put their face on an elected office. We have no right for these losers to stop people from getting involved in local politics.”
“The day we have fewer and fewer elected officials, it will be officials making more and more decisions, and their faces will no longer be seen to question and debate,” she adds. Or do we just want elected officials with big, screaming arms who settle scores with punches in the face? NO.”
So she wants elected officials to be viewed as human beings.
“Fortunately, things are going well in many communities and the climate is calm,” she emphasizes. I hope that proximity to elected officials will once again become an advantage in all communities. Our elected officials are just people who want to take care of other people.”
Watch the entire “Billet de Régine” in the video above