Irritated by Marwah Rizqy, Bernard Drainville leaves the Salon Bleu
Posted April 21, 2023 8:53 am.
Last Updated April 21, 2023 8:54 am.
QUEBEC CITY – After tearfully apologizing to voters in Levis on Thursday morning for a road tunnel project that won’t happen, Education Minister Bernard Drainville left the Salon bleu in the middle of the afternoon debate, angered by questions from the opposition.
It is rare, even unheard of, for a minister to walk out during a debate on an issue that concerns his responsibilities.
Drainville was being questioned by Liberal critic Marwah Rizqy about the increase in lunchtime fees at a school service center in the north of Montreal.
The minister blamed the school service center, an organization created by the CAQ government to replace school boards.
Rizqy could not help but criticize the minister for shirking his responsibilities and made a link with the broken election commitment on the third link, a Quebec City-Lévis tunnel for cars – a commitment that Drainville, MNA for Lévis had defended.
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“Is the minister really talking about accountability today after the mega-backtrack (on the third link)?” she said.
He got out of line and began to call out the Liberal MNA, off mic, to the point that the Deputy Speaker of the House, Chantal Soucy, had to call him to order.
“I understand the frustration, but personally, when I come to do an end-of-session debate, I expect to have a (government) interlocutor,” Rizqy told Drainville.
“If you want to be a demagogue, do it yourself!” he retorted, off mic, but could still be heard in the recording.
“You also have to learn to manage your emotions,” she added.
“Demagogue!” he concluded as he left the Salon Bleu.
The Liberal MNA concluded by saying that the exercise was “a bit futile”, as the minister responsible was leaving the Salon Bleu in the middle of the debate.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 20, 2023.
