By Canadian Press

Quebec premier won’t participate in English-language debate ahead of provincial vote

May 13, 2022 | 1:09 PM

MONTREAL — Quebec Premier François Legault is refusing to participate in an English-language leaders debate ahead of the province’s October election.

Legault spokesman Ewan Sauves says the premier will take part in two televised French-language debates and that preparing for each debate takes a significant amount of time. 

Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says he too doesn’t plan to participate in the Sept. 20 English debate because Quebec’s common language is French.

The other three parties in the legislature, however, say their leaders will be there. 

A spokesman for Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade says she’ll be at the English debate regardless of who else refuses to show up.

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Quebec Conservative Party Leader Éric Duhaime says he too will debate in English, and Québec solidaire spokeswoman Sandrine Bourque says the party’s candidate for premier, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, will be there even if the CAQ and the PQ won’t.

The leaders of Quebec’s four largest parties, including Legault, participated in an English-language debate ahead of the last provincial election in 2018. It was the first English-language leaders debate in the province’s history. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2022.

The Canadian Press