(QUEBEC) Marc Tanguay, the new interim leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), has failed his first leadership test: getting Marie-Claude Nicholls back into his caucus. Despite the apology, she said on Tuesday that she would not return as long as Mr. Tanguay was party head and would wait to see who wins the next leadership race.
“No, I’m not going back to the pre-session caucus today. What am I going to say? I feel like I’m living for a second exile. And heartily, I’ll be frank with you, I have an opinion that I don’t want in my own caucus,” said the Vaudreuil MP in the morning in an interview with 98.5 FM. The newly elected interim leader of the PLQ, Mr. She criticized Tanguay’s work.
Mark Tanguay answered at a press conference at the National Assembly a few hours later. He stated that the door was still open and that he had apologized to Mr.me Nicholas for the destiny reserved for him. After a dispute arose over who was going to get the position of third vice-president of the National Assembly, the former leader of the PLQ, Dominique Anglade, expelled her from the caucus, which is an honorary position that is elected “n ‘do any administrative work’ .
“On behalf of the Liberal Party of Quebec and the Caucus of Deputies, I have the opportunity to say that I am sorry for the way it happened to Marie-Claude and that I apologize to her on a personal basis and as a leader. […]. Apologizing. We apologize. I want to do them next to her, however, you have given me the opportunity to express them,” said Mr. Tanguay. Caucus chairman Enrico Ciccone also apologized. He suggested that Congresswoman Nichols was not a team player.
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Photo by Jacques Boissinot, Canadian Press Archives
Mark Tanguay
For his part, he confirms that Sunday’s discussion with the independent MP had only one point to convince her to return to the PLQ: the position of third vice-president. “The third Vice-President of the National Assembly has created a sensation like never before in our history,” Mr. Tanguay said from the start. The title comes with some responsibilities, but makes it possible to receive a bonus of $35,546. per annum.
Last month M.me Nicholas expressed his desire to take up the position. The former party leader, Dominique Anglade, instead supported the candidacy of Franz Benjamin. After rejecting parliamentary duties Mme Anglade wanted to hand over to him, Mr.me Nichols was kicked out of the caucus.
In the meeting on Sunday, Mr. Tanguay presented a hypothesis: Mr.me Nicholas alternates with Mr. Benjamin. She works for two years, then gives way to a member for Viau. But this plan did not take place in the House. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Mr. Benjamin said Monday that without a third vice-president, he would begin to reflect on his political future. On Monday evening, Mr. Tanguay withdrew his proposal.
Mme Nichols, for his part, said he learned this in the media, Mr. Tanguay claims the compromise she offered to rejoin the Liberal team no longer holds.
“I can’t go back to the party”
In an interview with Paul Arcand on Tuesday, Marie-Claude Nicolas said her refusal to return to the Liberal Party – although she still calls herself a proud liberal in her values - cannot be attributed to the fact that she no longer has it. The post of Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. Vaudreuil’s elected representative now explains her choice to remain an independent MP because she was given the chance to compromise and the offer was withdrawn in the public square without warning to her.
“I can’t go to a party again. We negotiated a deal [puis] I was told the deal was torpedoed. I learned in the media that this deal will no longer work,” she lamented. “I am a liberal and will wait for the next leader. If he wants, I will put red in the corner, but I am done. I will wait for the next chef,” she concluded.
Mr. Tanguay reiterated that the door was still open. But some members of the public don’t seem to appreciate the morning outingme Nicholas. PLQ Whip, Filomena Rotiroti, was quoted as saying in an interview by a journalist on 98.5 FM that she rolled her eyes and expressed a “really” good feeling. Mme Rotiroti claims that his facial expressions are related to conjunctivitis.
But what should voters who voted for the Liberal Party take from this story? Are the elected representatives of the ruling opposition more interested in fighting for higher paid status than in overseeing the government? “I cannot reduce it to that time. The duties we occupy are not null,” replied Mr. Tanguay. He wished the crisis was now behind him. “Marie-Claude, you know, the door is open. There, it is time for us to begin work,” he said. said
