Opponents jump on Parti Québécois leadership hopeful Pierre Karl Péladeau's immigration comments

Article content

QUEBEC — Parti Québécois leadership hopeful Pierre Karl Péladeau apologized on Thursday for saying a day earlier that immigration was hurting the sovereignty movement in Quebec.

Article content

“I would like to apologize for the unfortunate comment on demographics and immigration from yesterday,” he said in a statement on his Facebook page.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Opponents jump on Parti Québécois leadership hopeful Pierre Karl Péladeau's immigration comments Back to video

“It was inappropriate and does not reflect my thinking. The success of our collective project depends on the ability to bring together Quebecers from all origins.”

Article content

The apology followed an uproar over comments Mr. Péladeau made Wednesday evening during a non-official leadership debate before the PQ student association at Université Laval.

In his remarks, Mr. Péladeau — the perceived front-runner in the PQ leadership race to be decided in May — said demographics are working against sovereignty.

“We won’t have 25 years ahead of us to realize sovereignty,” he said. “With demographics, with immigration, it’s clear we lose a riding each year. We would like to have better control but let’s not fool ourselves.”

Article content

He said the federal government’s role in immigration doesn’t help the sovereignty movement, either.

“Who takes care of immigrants setting up in Quebec,” he asked. “It’s the federal government. Yes, we have shared responsibility, but they pledge allegiance to the Queen. So we don’t have 25 years ahead of us, it’s now that we have to work.”

With some analysts comparing his comments to former PQ premier Jacques Parizeau’s statement that the 1995 sovereignty referendum was lost due to “money and ethnic votes,”  Liberals, Coalition Avenir Québec and Québec solidaire politicians ripped Mr. Péladeau.

Article content

“Since the [failed] charter [of values], this [PQ] party has moved toward ethnic nationalism,” Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard said arriving for a morning caucus meeting. “There’s no argument on the financial and economic side to advocate Quebec’s separation from Canada, so they cling to anything they can grab.

“And right now this is the theme they have chosen, not only now but since the charter. Whatever the candidates have been saying, the party should have immediately condemned those words.”

Added Health and Social Services Minister Gaetan Barrette: “It’s extraordinarily worrisome. The PQ is showing its real face. It’s a sectarian party.”

“It confirms the sovereignty project is going nowhere and what they’re looking for now is scapegoats,” said CAQ leader François Legault.

Article content

Mr. Péladeau tried to clarify his statement by telling reporters later that he did not intend to portray immigrants as a threat to the movement. He said he wants to improve their integration.

“Quebec is enriched by the diversity of people who have come to live here,” he said. “And never, in any way, are we going to cease [benefiting] from this richness, this enrichment which comes with increasing diversity.”

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office also weighed in on the debate. “We believe that most Quebecers reject sovereignty, but believe that an even greater majority of Quebecers reject that kind of nationalism, as articulated by Mr. Péladeau,” said an emailed statement from the PMO. “That said, we won’t be making further comments on the PQ leadership race.”

Article content

In Vancouver, NDP leader Tom Mulcair compared Mr. Péladeau to Mr. Harper. “Mr. Peladeau is using the same strategy as Stephen Harper,” he said. “And it’s really too bad.

“Just like Stephen Harper, he is pitting Canadians against each other and saying the vote of certain people in our extraordinary country, certain Quebecers, have more rights than others.”

Other leadership candidates participating in the debate distanced themselves from Mr. Péladeau’s remarks.

“For me, immigration has nothing to do with it,” Alexandre Cloutier told the Wednesday night crowd. “I dream of rallying all Quebecers, without exception, and I dream of a PQ being representative of all the population as it exists.”

Another sovereignist, Québec solidaire MNA Françoise David, accused Mr. Péladeau of knowing nothing about immigration.

Article content

“Yes, he hurt it [the sovereignty movement],” Ms. David said. “I want to do sovereignty with everyone. The nous Québécois is the nous of everyone.

Ms. David added: “It perpetuates this myth, of immigrants who don’t integrate. It’s a myth. When I take a taxi from Central Station to Telé-Québec for an interview, I am sure the driver, who is likely Maghrebian, will talk to me and be as discouraged of this kind of nationalism, of this kind of sovereignty which doesn’t include them.”

Mr. Peladeau said he intends to work with various communities to explain what he called the benefits of Quebec independence.

Montreal Gazette, with files from The Canadian Press