Crisis in Quebec Liberal Party: Marwah Rizqy makes first public appearance

Saint-Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy said she was aware that the past few days have put the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) in an awkward position, in her first public appearance since she fired her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse, on Sunday.  

Marwah Rizqy emerged from obscurity shortly before the appearance of PLQ leader Pablo Rodriguez on the Radio-Canada program “Tout le monde en parle.” Rodriguez stated on the show that he still hadn’t been able to speak with Rizqy and didn’t know her reasons for dismissing Hinse. 

Rizqy dismissed Hinse, a close associate of Rodriguez, without consulting her beforehand. On Tuesday, Rodriguez removed Rizqy from her position as parliamentary leader and suspended her from the caucus, citing a “breach of trust.”

In a post shared on social media Sunday night, Rizqy said that although she has “never shied away” during her political career, she cannot answer all the questions in this matter. 

“I would like to remind you that the case concerning me is a human resources matter and that our laws do not allow an employer to publicly comment on an employee’s case in the public sphere,” she wrote. 

“I would also like to remind everyone that I am not the source of the media coverage of this decision. And I want to affirm that throughout the decision-making process in this matter, I was closely supported by the human resources department of the National Assembly of Quebec and that I maintained confidentiality at all times,” she added. 

She maintained that none of her colleagues had been informed of her decision beforehand. “This proves that I was not pursuing any political agenda in any way,” she argued. 

On Wednesday, Hinse’s lawyer demanded that Rizqy publicly admit within 24 hours the lack of grounds for her client’s dismissal.

However, the MNA’s for Saint-Laurent instead sent a letter to Hinse through her lawyer.

On Friday morning, Cogeco revealed the contents of Rizqy’s letter. It states that Hinse was dismissed “due to significant ethical breaches, particularly with regard to compliance with the standards of the National Assembly of Quebec, internal procedures and the expectations related to the position she held.”

Rizqy maintained in her Sunday publication that she made her decision “in compliance with the rules that govern us,” and that, if Rodriguez or the new parliamentary leader André Fortin judge that her decision was not the right one, “they have every right to rehire the former chief of staff.” 

Rodriguez did not answer host Guy A. Lepage’s questions about whether he would rehire Hinse or not. He also did not specify whether the door was still open for Rizqy to rejoin the caucus, or if she would be excluded. 

Rodriguez says he defends freedom of the press

Rizqy’s statement adds to a turbulent week for the PLQ, during which the “Journal de Montréal” also published troubling text messages related to the party leadership race. 

The Journal de Montréal revealed messages suggesting that members who supported Rodriguez during the race received cash rewards. However, the individuals who sent these text messages are not named in the article.

On Friday, Rodriguez announced that his party would issue a formal notice to the media outlet. 

When questioned by MC Gilles, the week’s guest co-host on “Tout le monde en parle”, about the possibility of “abuses” when a party leader sues a media outlet, Rodriguez argued that he defends freedom of the press. 

“I always want to defend a free, independent, non-partisan press,” said Rodriguez, adding that he is not asking for the sources of the “Journal de Montréal,” but that he wants to know the names of the people involved in the text messages and for the newspaper to demonstrate the veracity of the messages. 

Rodriguez added that if these text messages are true, the people involved will be excluded from the party. 

Milliard and Blackburn support Rodriguez

Liberal leadership candidates Charles Milliard and Karl Blackburn also took to social media on Sunday, reiterating their support for Rodriguez. They spoke out after La Presse reported that a group of Liberal activists wanted to force an extraordinary general council meeting, where Rodriguez could face a confidence vote. 

“From the moment he was elected, I rallied behind Pablo and continued to be involved with the PLQ. I am a party man,” wrote Milliard. “My energies are now devoted to my work as a university professor. The current situation pains my heart as an activist, and I have full confidence in the process put in place to shed light on the matter.”

Blackburn, for his part, said he supported Rodriguez in “getting through” this crisis. 

“Like (Pablo Rodriguez), I hope that everything will be clarified as soon as possible so that the PLQ can resume its game plan for the next election,” he stated. 

– With information from Thomas Laberge, The Canadian Press, in Quebec City

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews