CAQ backbenchers no longer stand up in National Assembly to respond

The Legault government appears to have given up on giving its backbenchers more visibility during Question Period.

None of these MNA’s have risen in the National Assembly since January to answer questions from the opposition, although they were allowed to do so last fall.

In an interview with The Canadian Press on Dec. 8, government parliamentary leader Simon Jolin-Barrette spoke of a new practice in Quebec, which he said enhanced the role of the MNA.

He had indicated that he intended to continue on this path, in particular by making more room for parliamentary assistants to ministers, who usually work in the shadows.

“We want to give them more responsibilities, (…) as is done in Ottawa. We are not afraid to show initiative within the government,” declared Jolin-Barrette. 

“This is not a practice that existed. We use it to ensure that everyone plays a role in the National Assembly,” he added.  

Last fall, Jolin-Barrette invited MNAs Catherine Blouin (Bonaventure) and Marilyne Picard (Soulanges) to respond in place of ministers Christian Dubé and Sonia Bélanger.

The questions focused on waiting in emergency rooms and home support.

A winter of “fiascos,” says Derraji

This never happened again, noted the official opposition parliamentary leader, Monsef Derraji, in an interview broadcast Friday.

He believes that Jolin-Barrette did not want the deputies to respond to current issues, such as the SAAQclic fiasco, the dilapidated state of the Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital or the downgrade of Quebec. 

” Jolin-Barrette, it was really the fiascos that prevented him from giving more space to parliamentary assistants for fear of making other mistakes,” Derraji maintained.

“He’s trying to control the message as much as he can, and I think he’s afraid of losing control if he gives parliamentary assistants the opportunity to stand up,” he added.

Jolin-Barrette nuance

Jolin-Barrette’s office claims that the assistants did not stand up in the Red Room during Question Period this winter because “their specific files were not targeted.”

“It always depends on the questions asked,” said press secretary Julien Garon in a message sent to The Canadian Press.

He argued that the CAQ deputies were able to stand out in other ways, notably by participating in the special cross-party commission on the impacts of screens on young people.

This “allowed them to demonstrate the quality of their work,” Garon said.

“The commission’s interim report has already had an impact, with its recommendation (regarding) cell phones,” he said. The full report was presented Thursday. 

Lack of listening?

However, according to Derraji, the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) has not yet “resolved the problem of disgruntled members within its caucus.”

The proof, he said, is that MNAs Alice Abou-Khalil (Fabre), Daniel Bernard (Rouyn-Noranda–Témiscamingue) and Pierre Dufour (Abitibi-Est) recently made public statements against their own government.

Abou-Khalil told the Journal de Québec that she was “deeply shaken” not to have been appointed Minister of Cybersecurity to replace Éric Caire.

For his part, Bernard lamented in an interview with Radio-Canada that no elected official from his region was part of the cabinet. He later apologized for his comments.

Dufour added to this, declaring during a press briefing that his government should “take the pulse of the regions” that elected it.

“It’s sad that a member of parliament from his region is forced to speak publicly to get his government to listen to him,” Derraji mocked.

He claims that CAQ members even came to see him to suggest amendments to submit to the government during the study of bills in parliamentary committee.

“There are MNAs with whom I have collaborated on bills because they were disappointed with their own government. They have even proposed amendments to certain files,” he said.

“The bills went against their region, and they didn’t have the support of their own ministers. This is serious and revealing.”

“It’s gotten to the point where the CAQ MNAs are coming to talk to us and share their concerns so that we can get the job done, because their caucus isn’t listening,” he added.

“It’s a busy time,” says Arseneau.

Asked at a press briefing on Thursday about the end of the CAQ session, PQ MNA Joël Arseneau said he also sensed discontent on the government bench.

“We know that the leader is thinking about his future. We know that several MNAs will announce their departures in the coming weeks and months. 

“It’s not just the doctors who are at fault, it’s the CAQ caucus!” he said.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews