The Parti Québécois will not participate in the National Day show on June 23 at the Plains of Abraham because they disagree with the choice of host, Émile Bilodeau.
• Also read: Émile Bilodeau wants a modern Saint-Jean festival that is open to others: “We must not be afraid to make room for people we see less.”
Having initially accepted the invitation of the National Movement of Quebecers (MNQ), the PQ finally changed its mind through its spokeswoman, Méganne Perry Mélançon.
“I’ve done a lot of thinking over the past few days and have come to the conclusion that I’m uncomfortable with pretending that I’d rather be transparent with all of you. The MNQ has decided to make singer Émile Bilodeau the chief animator and presenter of the evening. It is their decision, they have every right to do so. But I also have the right to question this decision and the motivations of the MNQ,” Ms Perry Mélançon explained on her Facebook page.
Archive photo
Meganne Perry Melancon
“On many occasions in recent years, and particularly in recent months, Émile Bilodeau has shown disrespect for the Parti Québécois, its staff, its leader, its members and its militants. He has also shown very little respect for anyone who advocates state secularism. I noted Émile Bilodeau’s apology for his remarks to my boss, but that’s not the issue.
She judges that the MNQ “should not have condoned Emile Bilodeau’s lack of respect and impartiality by appointing him as host and I have complete freedom to express that point of view.” That’s why I’ve decided to celebrate our national day easy to party somewhere else.”
On Méganne Perry Mélançon’s Facebook post, Émile Bilodeau expressed himself in relation to the abandonment culture:
“Happy St-Jean, dear friend! I will animate, sing and dance my love for Quebec for two hours on June 23rd on the Plains of Abraham. I will sing with my friends from Malio Innu-aimun, I will play guitar to the Creole verse of my friends from Muzion, I will play vocal harmonies to the chorus of my Congolese friend Pierre Kwenders I will denounce the treatment of francophones outside of Quebec in North America in my song Candy , I’ll be jamming with Patrick Norman, who is retiring soon after a 50 year career, I’ll introduce every artist who accepted my invitation (from Laurence Jalbert to Vulgar Machins). In short, we will give you a good show experience. If you want to cancel me, I suggest you see what Republicans are doing in the US. You have experience in this field. xxx »
The Mouvement national des Québécois has no intention of reconsidering its choice of host and regrets that the Parti Québécois is not present. He always invites the PQ to participate.
Québec Solidaire responded by saying it was “very unfortunate” that the PQ was not a party. “There were artists who were more associated with the Parti Québécois who participated in Bastille Day and that never stopped people with more QS from participating. It’s a unifying party and we also have an artist who reaches out to young people,” commented Étienne Grandmont, Taschenreau MP for Québec Solidaire.
In an interview on LCN, Frédéric Lapointe, president of the Mouvement national des Québécois, initially judged this controversy as “advertising” Friday’s show.
“All this publicity makes the Quebec show unforgettable. I invite everyone to come to this big party,” he said at first.
He then regretted the absence of the PQ.
“We must put aside our small droppings on the heart in the bracket that is the National Day and gather in good spirits. […] Worryingly, political parties can use the National Day to voice points of view. It’s a door you have to be careful not to open too often. If we only had performers that all Quebec political parties agreed on, we would have a hard time outfitting our 650 stages for the National Day on June 23rd and 24th,” concludes Mr. Lapointe.