Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair was forced to address his homosexuality for the first time in the provincial election campaign on Thursday.
The openly gay Boisclair was asked to respond to comments made in late February by "shock jock" radio host Louis Champagne, who said factory workers in the Saguenay would never vote for a "tapette," the French slang equivalent of "fag."
Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair, who was in Quebec City on Thursday, says he wants to lower dropout rates in the province.
(Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)
In an interview with local PQ candidate Alexandre Cloutier, Champagne had asked whether he thought it would be hard to sell a leader like Boisclair in the region, given his sexual orientation.
Then, referring to another PQ candidate in the area, Sylvain Gaudreault, a gay candidate running in the Jonquière riding, Champagne asked Cloutier whether the PQ had become a "fag club."
Champagne crossed a line with his comments, Boisclair said on Thursday.
"Is he saying on the radio that people in Saguenay–Lac-St-Jean are more homophobic than other people elsewhere in Quebec? Homophobia exists, but I feel these words are very insulting for the people of Saguenay–Lac-St-Jean," the PQ leader told CBC during his stop in Quebec City.
Boisclair acknowledged homophobia is a problem throughout the province, where the suicide rate among young gay men is significantly higher than among others in their age group.
In a rare revelation about his personal life, Boisclair admitted he'd been fortunate to have never experienced homophobia growing up in Montreal: "I was very privileged, and I grew up in an environment where I had caring parents and fantastic friends."
When reporters asked him whether homophobia was weighing on his election campaign, Boisclair took a long pause before saying he would let Quebecers answer that question, because he knows they believe in equality and freedom.
Boisclair was in Quebec City to unveil an education program he said will lower dropout rates in the province. The PQ leader said he would also like to encourage young gay boys to stay in school.
Boisclair had spent some time campaigning in the Saguenay region earlier this week to shore up support for the PQ in the traditionally sovereigntist region. Recent polls suggest Boisclair is fighting off surges in the area from the Liberals and the ADQ.
'Public school must be secular'
Thursday afternoon, Boisclair took aim at ADQ Leader Mario Dumont on his views about religion in schools.
Addressing students at the Université Laval, the PQ leader said Dumont would allow any religion in public schools — "from Jesus Christ right to Rael," the leader of a sect that believes life on Earth was created by extraterrestrials — if he's elected and enacts his plan to fund religious instruction.
The proposal would divide Quebecers and undermine its secular identity, Boisclair said. "Public school must be secular, it must be neutral," he told an enthusiastic crowd of students.
The PQ leader also got enthusiastic applause and cheers when he reiterated his promise to maintain a freeze on tuition.
Related
| Party | Elected | Leading | Total | Vote Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIB | 48 | 0 | 48 | 33.08% |
| ADQ | 41 | 0 | 41 | 30.80% |
| PQ | 36 | 0 | 36 | 28.32% |
| QS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.65% |
| GRN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.89% |
| OTH | 0 | 0 | 0 | .26% |
| Last Update:March 27, 12:52:21 AM EDT | ||||
Quebec Votes 2007 Headlines »
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- André Boisclair is staying on as leader of the Parti Québécois and vowed to help rebuild the fractured party after it suffered major losses in Monday's provincial election.
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- Quebecers are waking up to a minority Liberal government — the first minority in the province in 130 years — and a new official Opposition.