Resurfaced Anti-Muslim Remarks Leads to Suspension of PQ Candidate in Canada

Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon suspended the PQ candidate in Rousseau, Pierre Vanier, but said that he’s waiting to speak with him to make a final decision on his candidacy.

In a series of social media posts made in 2015 and 2016, the PQ candidate in Rousseau, Pierre Vanier, questioned the intelligence of women who wear veils and accused Muslims of “killing democracy.” The comments resurfaced in a “Journal de Montréal” piece.

“Give a hammer to a sovereignist, he will build a country,” he wrote in June 2015. “Give a hammer to a Muslim, he will kill democracy.”

In January 2016, he lashed out at women who wear religious veils.

“Why do Western women choose to drape themselves in these accoutrements? As one of my colleagues said: they’re missing out on a 15-minute undercooked noggin.”

Earlier this week, St-Pierre Plamondon faced questions on comments made by two other candidates on Islam.

Sainte-Rose, Laval candidate Lyne Jubinville, made public comments about Islam in 2011 and 2016, which resurfaced during the campaign.

“Why are hijabs invading more and more our public landscape?” she wrote in 2011.

The candidate clarified that she remains critical of all religions but recognizes the right of everyone to exercise their religion.

When asked about his candidate’s comments, St-Pierre Plamondon said Jubinville’s statements were not Islamophobic.

“You can’t put the word ‘phobia’ on any criticism of religions. There’s no way to target the whole of her remarks as being aimed at one religion,” he said.

From a feminist perspective, making a critique of religions is legitimate, he believes.

He also came to the defence of La Pinière candidate Suzanne Gagnon, who asked last November on social media, “why do visible minorities resist so much when they get arrested?”

The leader said the comments were “clumsy.”

He responded that she was acknowledging racial profiling.

“What she is saying is that racial profiling exists. Clearly, her intent is that she’s concerned about the injuries suffered when people among visible minorities are arrested,” said St-Pierre Plamondon.

Source: iqna