First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Thursday is the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation across Canada. It isn’t a statutory holiday in Quebec, and TVA is annoyed that it’s causing confusion over what’s open and what’s closed.
This is against a backdrop of François Legault holding out stubbornly against the fact that there’s systemic racism in Quebec. Paul Journet describes the scrap at the National Assembly as Legault coped with the first anniversary of the death of Joyce Echaquan by squabbling with MNA Greg Kelley over the phrase. Allison Hanes in the Gazette notes how Legault feels any criticism of him or his government is an attack on Quebec itself.
Speaking of Legault, I was struck by this Guardian piece, reminding me that it’s not just in Quebec that “the woke” are a straw man opponent for the right.
Incidentally, Legault won’t allow us to have another stat holiday because he wants more productivity.
Meezly 09:47 on 2021-09-30 Permalink
After the death of Joyce Echequan, Legault has had a year to educate himself on how systemic racism impacted her unnecessary suffering and death. There have been discussions here about his ‘stubborness’…it should be clear by now that his denial is intentional and political.
Calling him stubborn in his willful ignorance makes him sound like a crochety old man who doesn’t want to change. Can we please try to put in context why he’s being this stubborn?
As leader of this province, his intentional denial of systemic racism is a political strategy which makes him more a threat to democracy than merely holding onto the status quo. He can’t admit to systemic racism as that would impact the racist Bill 21 and discriminatory Bill 96.
steph 09:51 on 2021-09-30 Permalink
He’s obviously doing it to cater to his base – which is enough in this political system to get him elected. It’s a shame.