Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet speaks during a federal election campaign stop at a Bombardier facility in Dorval, Que., on April 24.Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet stood by his comment that Canada is an “artificial country” Saturday and dismissed an open letter from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston calling on him to either reconsider his position or resign.
Mr. Houston inserted himself into the final hours of the federal election campaign Saturday with an open letter expressing dismay at the comments Mr. Blanchet made on the campaign trail Friday.
“I find it difficult to find the words to adequately describe how insulting this statement is to all Canadians and to our great nation,” Mr. Houston wrote in the letter he posted to X, formerly Twitter. “What is it about Canada that you don’t like? You have been a politician since 2008, paid by Canadians, why haven’t you done your part to work towards improving this country we should all love so dearly?”
Mr. Blanchet has been a federal Member of Parliament since 2019. Prior to that, he was a Parti Québécois member of Quebec’s National Assembly and provincial environment minister.
The leaders of the three main federal parties also condemned the original comments Mr. Blanchet made at campaign stop in Shawinigan, Que.
“We are, whether we like it or not, part of an artificial country with very little meaning, called Canada,” Mr. Blanchet said in English.
When asked Saturday to respond to Mr. Houston’s criticism, Mr. Blanchet stood by his comments.
“Canada is an artificial country. It is not meant as an insult,” he said during a campaign stop in Val d’Or, Que.
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Mr. Blanchet said it is a comment that he has made in the past. He said his point is that unlike Quebec, which is a proud nation, Canada is a collection of regions and he said Ottawa attempts to centralize power. He also referenced former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s past comment in which he described Canada as a “post-national state.”
“Quebec is anything but the post national nation. It’s a proud nation,” Mr. Blanchet said.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh also criticized Mr. Blanchet’s comments Saturday.
“It’s for others to judge, to form their own opinion, of those comments. I reject them completely,” Mr. Carney said during a morning news conference in King City, Ont. “This is an incredible country. I’m incredibly proud to be Canadian.”
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Mr. Poilievre posted his reaction online Saturday afternoon.
“Yves-François Blanchet’s comments are insulting and false. Canada is a strong, proud and sovereign country with a rich history. As Prime Minister, I will always defend Canada and make it stronger than ever before,” Mr. Poilievre said.
Mr. Singh said Mr. Blanchet’s comments were unhelpful at a time when Canada’s sovereignty is being threatened by the president of the United States.
“I think that’s offensive,” he said at a campaign stop in London, Ont. “We’ve got Donald Trump attacking us. We don’t need attacks from the inside like that. I mean, people are showing so much solidarity in Quebec, across Canada, saying we will never be the 51st state. We’re proud of our nation. Obviously, there’s things we need to improve, but to bolster the attacks of a foreign government that impact Quebecers as much as it impacts Canadians is the wrong thing to do.”