Prime Minister François Legault does not seem to want to apologize to the monitoring committee of the Laurent Commission, as Quebec Solidaire (QS) asks him. On Thursday morning, he associated this committee with the Parti Québécois.
“There is no official monitoring committee,” he declared. Neither I, nor the minister, nor Régine Laurent, have set up a monitoring committee. These are people who have proclaimed themselves a monitoring committee, including Martine Desjardins and Camil Bouchard who are, as we know, close to the Parti Québécois. »
Mr. Legault reiterated that former Commissioner Régine Laurent is satisfied with the government’s progress, based on her open letter published in the media earlier this week. “I trust Régine Laurent,” he repeats.
After criticism from the monitoring committee of the Laurent Commission on the government’s actions in terms of youth protection, Mr. Legault discredited the work of this committee on Wednesday. Québec solidaire asks him to apologize.
The Special Commission on the Rights of Children and Youth Protection (CSDEPJ) published Wednesday morning its analysis of the progress of the government’s actions to implement the recommendations of the Laurent report, tabled three years ago.
The committee reported slowness, inconsistencies and a lack of transparency regarding the government’s actions in implementing the courses of action resulting from the Laurent report.
According to the committee, only one recommendation has been completed by the Department of Health and Social Services and 30% of the sub-recommendations are in progress. The government, for its part, affirms that 42% of the sub-recommendations are in progress or completed.
Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, QS spokesperson for social services, believes that Mr. Legault is “visibly embarrassed by the note he received in his own report card”.
At a press briefing Thursday morning, Mr. Cliche-Rivard stressed that the committee that Mr. Legault attacked on Wednesday is made up of around twenty experts. “They are experts who follow our little ones, and today, I would understand them being furious,” he said.
“With all the respect I owe to the Prime Minister, I do not find that what he said yesterday at the Salon Bleu does honor to his office,” lamented the supportive MP.
Mr. Cliche-Rivard also highlighted that this week marks five years since the death of the little girl from Granby and that the deputies unanimously adopted a motion on Tuesday to mark this sad anniversary. “We said to ourselves: “Never again.” And, the next day, the day after that, the (Prime Minister) stands up in the House to attack the credibility of a committee of experts who defend the most vulnerable children in our society,” he denounced.
Québec solidaire will ask the Prime Minister in the House to apologize and recognize that he has gone too far.
The Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, shared his intention to meet with the monitoring committee. Mr. Cliche-Rivard believes that Mr. Legault should join this meeting to hear what the experts have to say.
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reference: www.lapresse.ca