Der liberale Führer von Quebec überrascht seine eigene Partei mit ihrer Position zum Sprachenrecht

Tricky spot for Milliard. No gain outside of the current party concentration in some ridings or losing support of the same base.

The headline is a bit clickbait-ish, here are the key points:

>Charles Milliard, the leader of the Quebec Liberals, is facing questions within his own ranks after **saying he is “in favour” of maintaining the notwithstanding clause for Bill 96.**
>
>…
>
>On Thursday, **Milliard said he would modify certain sections of Bill 96 to lessen the impact on businesses and lengthen the six-month timeline imposed on immigrants to learn French, but that overall he wants to protect the legislation.**
>
>“The Quebec Liberal Party has used the notwithstanding clause in the past, so we’re not opposed to it … I think it’s an important tool,” he told reporters.
>
>“I think it has been used too often preemptively, but protecting the French language in Quebec is paramount to the Quebec Liberal Party. And it is paramount for all Quebecers, including many cultural communities, despite what our opponents say.”
>
>…
>
>At the same news conference, **Milliard said that he would not renew the notwithstanding clause in the case of Bill 21 and Bill 9, two secularism laws aimed at limiting religion in the public sphere.**

It’s a dumb move politically.

Due to the reputation the party has (and fact that the PLQ has historically been the only party non-francophone voted for), no one who cares about Bill 96 will suddenly now view the party as attractive. Further guaranteeing this move won’t win any new votes is his saying he will not maintain the override on Bill 21 (the people who are hard on 96 are for the most part hard for 21 as well).

The PLQ became the most popular party in Quebec solely because it’s only way to guarantee a referendum which the vast majority of Quebec wants absolutely nothing to do with. There is still a ton of gas in this tank, and it looks ony to accelerate as PSPP seems to revel in becoming more and more unhinged with every day. The upward trend among francophones has continued with full knowledge that the PLQ is „soft“ towards Quebec anglophones. The reason being that, unlike a referendum, 96 doesn’t actually change anything in anyone’s day-to-day unless they’re anglophone. Most of the support is soft, and the hard support are all voting for the PQ anyways.