The National Assembly has adopted a motion calling on Ottawa to terminate Amira Elgawaby’s contract as Canada’s representative on the fight against Islamophobia.
Article content
QUEBEC — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands by the contempt she has shown for Quebec by keeping Amira Elgawaby in her post as Canada’s representative in fighting Islamophobia, says François Legault The prime minister said on Tuesday.
advertising 2
Article content
MNAs in the National Assembly then adopted a motion calling on Ottawa to terminate the contract immediately.
Article content
“She didn’t apologize,” Lego said as he arrived at the parliamentary questioning session. Incredible.
“Mr Trudeau supports his contempt for Quebecers by keeping her at work.”
Legault commented: Controversy Over Trudeau’s Appointment of Elgwaby I landed in the Diet with a bang.
On the first day that parliament resumed from the holiday, the coalition Avenir-Québec, Liberal and Partie-Québec MNAs repeatedly asked Elgawaby to apologize for his earlier comments about Quebec or to resign.
advertising 3
Article content
On Monday, Jean-François L’Oberge, the minister in charge of secularism, dismissed Elgawaby for her remarks about “anti-Muslim sentiment” among Quebecers and for her criticism of Bill 21, Quebec’s secularist law. released a statement demanding her removal from her post. .
L’Oberge was referring to her body of work. 2019 Opinion Articles She is an Ottawa citizen and co-authored with Bernie Farber.
“Unfortunately, the majority of Quebecers seem to be swayed not by the rule of law, but by anti-Muslim sentiment,” writes Elgawaby.
On Monday, she tried to add nuance to her comment.
“I do not believe that Quebecers are Islamophobic. My comment was in relation to a poll on Bill 21,” she said in a statement.
Trudeau accepted her explanation and said she would stay.
Advertising 4
Article content
“I support Amira Elgawaby 100 percent,” Trudeau said upon arrival at the Liberal Party caucuses in Ottawa.
That comment angered CAQ politicians. L’Oberge, who met with reporters before Rego commented, said Ottawa missed an opportunity to “build a bridge” with Quebec.
“We wanted the liberal federal government to pay attention to Quebec’s position,” Roberge said. “Unfortunately, (Mr. Trudeau) is sticking to his point. Québec can fight racism, sexism and all forms of discrimination without federal help.”
When asked if Quebec hit a wall in their effort to reverse Ottawa, Roberge took a philosophical turn.
When Bill 21 was adopted, Québec’s secular minister, Justice Minister Simon Jolyn Barrett, also uttered harsh words.
Advertising 5
Article content
“We gave her the opportunity to correct her remarks and apologize,” he said. “She chose not to do this in an inappropriate way. Her statements about Quebec, about the Quebec Nation are totally unacceptable. , I don’t think Trudeau can keep her in this post.”
Later in the day, the MNAs voted in favor of a Roberge-sponsored motion calling on Ottawa to end the Elghawaby mission immediately.
The motion condemns Elgawaby’s remarks and notes that she has not yet apologized to the citizens of Quebec.
The motion was adopted and voted in favor of 108 MNAs, including CAQ, the Liberal Party and the Quebec Party. Quebec Solidaire withdrew.
Advertising 6
Article content
Previously, QS said it wanted to speak with Elgawaby before making a final decision.
QS said last summer it would Dismantling Key Sections of Bill 21 if elected.
advertising 7
Article content
QS co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois told reporters at a morning press conference, “What Mrs. Elgwaby said is, first of all, false.” It shouldn’t, and it’s harmful to Quebecers.
“But to find out the truth of this, one of my colleagues, Andrés Fontesilla, meets with her … because we have questions for her.”
Other parties, including Quebec’s liberals, were less lenient in their views.
Advertising 8
Article content
Interim Liberal Party leader Mark Tangay echoed comments he made on Twitter on Monday, saying Mr Elgawaby’s remarks were “unacceptable and offensive”.
“MS. Elgawaby must fully appreciate how offensive and untruthful she was in saying this,” Tangay said, asking for an apology. It’s important.”
But Tangay had to put out the wildfire within the party when Liberal Party critic Westmount (Jennifer McCarron of the St. Louis MNA), who criticized fighting racism, expressed sympathy for Elgawaby .
“CAQ once again demonstrates its rigor and lack of humanism by not endorsing Mrs. Elgawaby’s nomination,” McCarron wrote in a tweet Monday, which has since been deleted.
Advertising 9
Article content
Maccarone has since apologized for the tweet.
“This morning I made a mistake. I sincerely apologize,” she wrote in another tweet on Monday. I’m sorry if I offended you.
advertising 10
Article content
Tanguay dismissed the confusion and lack of clear party lines as a problem of communication.
“Internal teamwork was not complete,” he said. “It was a team mistake and I take responsibility for it. There is only one position for him and that is what I said yesterday afternoon.”
PQ secularist critic Pascal Verbet then condemned the nomination, which his party, admitted to parliament for the first time after a dispute over the oath to King Charles III, would decide Quebec’s future.
“(The Elgawaby) have to leave and we have to leave (from Canada),” Berbe told reporters.
-
Tom Mulcair: Amira Elgawaby is not right for the job
-
CAQ government wants to remove federal anti-Islamophobia adviser over Bill 21 comments
