A disappointing, deplorable decision that impoverishes a democratic process which should be as inclusive as possible, especially at a time when voter turnout is, election after election, becoming a growing concern.<\/p>\n
Last spring, the consortium sent out a formal invitation to all party leaders. Within 24 hours, two of them \u2014 Qu\u00e9bec solidaire and the Quebec Conservative Party \u2014 responded positively.<\/p>\n
At respectively eight and 10 per cent support among non-francophone voters, according to the latest L\u00e9ger poll<\/a>, Ruba Ghazal and \u00c9ric Duhaime didn\u2019t have much to gain at taking the risk of debating in a language they don\u2019t necessarily master.<\/p>\n And yet, they had the courage to accept the consortium\u2019s invitation \u2014 and must be commended for doing so.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Parti Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois and the Coalition Avenir Qu\u00e9bec, just like in 2022, refused to participate in such an important exercise.<\/p>\n Although perhaps it was to be expected from the PQ, the decision somehow surprised coming from Christine Fr\u00e9chette, whom just a few weeks ago declared during an interview on CJAD<\/a> that she wanted to \u201chave a dialogue\u201d with Quebec\u2019s anglo community, promising a new \u201cpositive tone.\u201d<\/p>\n What better opportunity to have that kind of dialogue than by participating in a provincial debate in English? Talk about speaking from both sides of your mouth. <\/p>\n But the most surprising decision came from the Quebec Liberals. At first, they neither accepted nor refused the invitation; they just waited.<\/p>\n They waited until their opponents declined the consortium\u2019s request, and then could justify their own refusal by saying they won\u2019t participate unless the others take part. <\/p>\n In other words, it looks like the Liberals hid behind the decisions of others and blamed them for their own lack of a backbone \u2014 an easy way out to avoid having their leader debate in English.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s be clear: of all provincial parties, the QLP should have been the very first one to raise its hand and confirm Charles Milliard\u2019s presence when the consortium sent out those invitations in April.<\/p>\n First, because it\u2019s about speaking to their core base \u2014 to the community that has, for countless decades, been consistently faithful to their party.<\/p>\n Show some minimal respect and consideration to those who show up to the polls every four years to elect your MNAs.<\/p>\n Second, had the Liberals confirmed much earlier on their intention to attend that debate, it would have added pressure on other leaders \u2014 Fr\u00e9chette chief among them \u2014 to declare they were also on board.<\/p>\n \t\tEditor\u2019s Picks\t<\/p>\n If the PQ would still have maintained its refusal to participate, the consortium could simply have left an empty chair on the stage as a message to anglo voters about what Paul St-Pierre Plamondon really thinks of them.<\/p>\n With more than half of non-francophone voters intending to support their party, the Liberals would have been on friendly territory in an English debate. For Milliard, who\u2019s fluent in Shakespeare\u2019s language, it would probably have been a walk in the park \u2014 and most of all proof that he doesn\u2019t take the anglo vote for granted.<\/p>\n Instead, we\u2019ll have not one, but three official debates in French (though a labour dispute at Radio-Canada<\/a> might put that one at risk) \u2014 and none in English, for a second election in a row.<\/p>\n What a loss, and an unfair situation, for thousands of anglo voters.<\/p>\n
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