The life of a politician isn’t easy — even less so if you’re the leader of a party and a woman, says Quebec Liberal Party leader Dominique Anglade.
In politics, women are judged more harshly in many respects, she says. They feel the pressure to be perfect at all times and must constantly prove themselves, with little room for anger or mistakes.
And if you must face Premier François Legault every day in parliament, it doesn’t get any better, according to Anglade.
1:43 Quebec Liberal Party redefining itself, will focus on environment in October election
Quebec Liberal Party redefining itself, will focus on environment in October election – Nov 27, 2021
She says her gender has played a role in the premier’s attitude towards her.
“He’s a paternalistic person, that’s for sure,” Anglade said during an interview with The Canadian Press.
Sitting in a Quebec City cafe, it was the end of a difficult week for her party: in Marie-Victorin’s Monday by-election, the Liberals came in fifth place with only seven per cent of the popular vote.
Anglade criticized comments made on the evening of Legault’s victory in the district, when he claimed Quebecers didn’t appreciate her “mudslinging” over the CHSLD Herron, where dozens of seniors died during the first wave of the pandemic.
Were the premier’s comment inaccurate, condescending and even sexist?
2:11 Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade criticizes CAQ’s new language law during Dawson College visit
Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade criticizes CAQ’s new language law during Dawson College visit – Feb 24, 2022
“Absolutely,” said Anglade.
Anglade says she’s singled out as “aggressive or whiny” whenever she criticizes the government “in a firm manner” — a reality she believes doesn’t exist for male politicians.
But Anglade tries her best to keep herself in check at the National Assembly, convinced that she would not be forgiven for the slightest misstep, be it a clumsy word or burst of anger.
Anglade also claimed Legault treats the men and women in his circle differently.
“It’s clear that he wipes the slate more easily for men,” she said, referring to the three women who have been removed from the cabinet since the mandate’s beginning: Marie-Chantal Chasse, Sylvie D’Amours and Marie-Eve Proulx.
No male ministers have suffered the same fate, although some have had difficulties.
Anglade cited the case of Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, who was repeatedly rebuffed by the Ethics Commissioner, but is still in office.
“I could never have done what Pierre Fitzgibbon did and remained a minister,” said Anglade, adding that she has “much less room to make mistakes” than her male counterparts.
To reverse this trend, she argues more space is needed for female political leadership, a reality she hopes will be reflected in all spheres of society.
‘Perfect woman’ syndrome
Knowing they have little room to manoeuvre, female politicians strive to be nothing less than perfect, Anglade said.
She says she suffers, like so many other women who have tried to make their mark in politics, from “the syndrome of the one who must not make any mistakes.”
But this reflex “limits you in all that you can be, in all that you can say, in the way you express yourself,” she said, adding that it “prevents you from being what you naturally are.”
3:30 Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade reflects on 2020
Quebec Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade reflects on 2020 – Dec 29, 2020
There’s “a dichotomy between the person I am and the perception people have”, she said — a “gap between the public image and the real person.”
With the election approaching, the woman who has been leading the party for nearly two years intends to be much more present in the field, to make voters discover the “real” Dominique Anglade.
She’s relying on her winning back the francophone vote in certain regions by advocating for increased decentralization of powers. The first announcement on this subject will be made Thursday in Trois-Rivières.
Anglade says she wants to return to the party’s core values, including economic development. Her vision includes integrating wealth creation and the fight against climate change into a more coherent strategy.
The Liberal is well aware that she only has a few months to get back on track, and “the challenge is huge but exciting.”
1:55 CAQ government reiterates use of French and french only at National Assembly
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MONTREAL – NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he will not be taking advice from Pierre Poilievre after the Conservative leader challenged him to bring down government.
“I say directly to Pierre Poilievre: I’m not going to listen to you,” said Singh on Wednesday, accusing Poilievre of wanting to take away dental-care coverage from Canadians, among other things.
“I’m not going to listen to your advice. You want to destroy people’s lives, I want to build up a brighter future.”
Earlier in the day, Poilievre challenged Singh to commit to voting non-confidence in the government, saying his party will force a vote in the House of Commons “at the earliest possibly opportunity.”
“I’m asking Jagmeet Singh and the NDP to commit unequivocally before Monday’s byelections: will they vote non-confidence to bring down the costly coalition and trigger a carbon tax election, or will Jagmeet Singh sell out Canadians again?” Poilievre said.
“It’s put up or shut up time for the NDP.”
While Singh rejected the idea he would ever listen to Poilievre, he did not say how the NDP would vote on a non-confidence motion.
“I’ve said on any vote, we’re going to look at the vote and we’ll make our decision. I’m not going to say our decision ahead of time,” he said.
Singh’s top adviser said on Tuesday the NDP leader is not particularly eager to trigger an election, even as the Conservatives challenge him to do just that.
Anne McGrath, Singh’s principal secretary, says there will be more volatility in Parliament and the odds of an early election have risen.
“I don’t think he is anxious to launch one, or chomping at the bit to have one, but it can happen,” she said in an interview.
New Democrat MPs are in a second day of meetings in Montreal as they nail down a plan for how to navigate the minority Parliament this fall.
The caucus retreat comes one week after Singh announced the party has left the supply-and-confidence agreement with the governing Liberals.
It’s also taking place in the very city where New Democrats are hoping to pick up a seat on Monday, when voters go to the polls in Montreal’s LaSalle—Émard—Verdun. A second byelection is being held that day in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood—Transcona, where the NDP is hoping to hold onto a seat the Conservatives are also vying for.
While New Democrats are seeking to distance themselves from the Liberals, they don’t appear ready to trigger a general election.
Singh signalled on Tuesday that he will have more to say Wednesday about the party’s strategy for the upcoming sitting.
He is hoping to convince Canadians that his party can defeat the federal Conservatives, who have been riding high in the polls over the last year.
Singh has attacked Poilievre as someone who would bring back Harper-style cuts to programs that Canadians rely on, including the national dental-care program that was part of the supply-and-confidence agreement.
The Canadian Press has asked Poilievre’s office whether the Conservative leader intends to keep the program in place, if he forms government after the next election.
With the return of Parliament just days away, the NDP is also keeping in mind how other parties will look to capitalize on the new makeup of the House of Commons.
The Bloc Québécois has already indicated that it’s written up a list of demands for the Liberals in exchange for support on votes.
The next federal election must take place by October 2025 at the latest.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is defending her decision to turn off comments on her social media accounts — with an announcement on social media.
She posted screenshots to X this morning of vulgar names she’s been called on the platform, and says comments on her posts for months have been dominated by insults, to the point that she decided to block them.
Montreal’s Opposition leader and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association have criticized Plante for limiting freedom of expression by restricting comments on her X and Instagram accounts.
They say elected officials who use social media should be willing to hear from constituents on those platforms.
However, Plante says some people may believe there is a fundamental right to call someone offensive names and to normalize violence online, but she disagrees.
Her statement on X is closed to comments.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
