WebPosted Thu Dec 21 08:51:59 2000
QUEBEC CITY - A controversy within the Parti
Quйbйcois has escalated and could threaten the
leadership of Premier Lucien Bouchard.
It began last week when an influential member of
the PQ, who wants to run in a byelection, made
comments about the Holocaust.
Bouchard demanded the comments be withdrawn.
Yves Michaud refused.
Now people within the PQ are taking sides.
On Wednesday, as the
National Assembly was
wrapping up for the
Christmas break, the
controversy took a
sharp turn for the worse.
Michaud said he has no
reason to apologize.
"I have never said or written anything that
minimizes the Nazi horror against the Jews," he
said. "What you are doing to demonize a member
of your party is a dishonour and not worthy of a
premier."
"Michaud said he was fed up with Jews always
saying they're the only people to have suffered, and
I won't have it," said Bouchard.
Michaud has been around the PQ a long time. He
is a committed, hardcore sovereigntist, part of a
faction in the party that's often doubted Bouchard's
commitment.
Last week, on radio, and at a commission studying
the French language, he said Quebec's Jews were
intolerant, voting as they do en masse against
sovereignty, and they believe they're the only
people to have suffered throughout history.
Michaud wants to be a PQ candidate in an
upcoming byelection, but Bouchard's answer came
Tuesday after a meeting with his caucus. Withdraw
either your remarks, or your candidacy.
Michaud will do neither. And now, he's gathering
powerful support.
He has the backing of Bouchard's predecessor,
Jacques Parizeau, and some influential
sovereigntist groups. They say his remarks were
inelegant, inopportune, but not anti-Semitic.
Bouchard in the meantime says the sovereignty
movement must show the world it will not tolerate
Michaud's opinions. He has the backing of his
caucus, but in some cases, it sounds almost