Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair
Homophobia has no place in politics, Boisclair says
TU THANH HA AND RHÉAL SÉGUIN
Globe and Mail Upate
The Quebec election campaign is taking ugly turn with a shock-radio host questioning the homosexuality of Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair.
On two occasions, morning man Louis Champagne taunted local PQ candidates with the issue. He hosts the top-rated show in the Saguenay area, once a PQ stronghold.
On one occasion, Mr. Champagne asked whether it was harder to sell a leader from a different sexual orientation, especially with the local factory workers.
“When you show up with (a) homosexual, aren't you going to be asked the question, ‘Listen, the PQ, isn't that a party of fags?' ” the radio host said.
When the candidate tried to avoid the issue, the host then taunted him about his leader's past use of cocaine. “He took cocaine; are you for cocaine? . . . He took it while he was a cabinet minister. Will he do it again?' ”
On another broadcast, Mr. Champagne alluded to the local aluminum refinery and said: “You try promoting a homosexual to the boys at . . . Alcan. Just try.”
When Mr. Boisclair was asked about the radio interview on Thursday, the PQ Leader looked angry and remained speechless for several seconds at one point, a moment television stations replayed throughout the day.
“You know what, I'll let Quebeckers answer that question,” he eventually replied. “I know Quebeckers believe in equality, in freedom. If some people want to take the campaign on this issue, they won't run into me but into millions of Quebeckers.”
Until now, Mr. Boisclair's private life has been the issue that did not dare speak its name in Quebec politics.
While polls suggest that Quebeckers are open to gays, analysts suspect that respondents in small-town, rural areas aren't forthright with pollsters.
Last year, Robert Bernier, a political scientist at Montreal's École nationale d'administration publique, conducted interviews and focus groups with panels of undecided voters and found that Mr. Boisclair's sexual orientation aggravated their negative perception of him.
The opposition was highest among older voters, Prof. Bernier found.
Mr. Boisclair was speaking at a Quebec City high school, where he reiterated his commitment to spend $450-million over five years to reduce the province's drop-out rate and give students in need special tutoring and assistance.
Mr. Boisclair noted that young teenage homosexuals have one of the highest suicide rates in the province. He promised that the party's yet-to-be-announced health care and prevention initiatives will deal with the problem.
“The key is prevention. When you look at statistics, young male homosexuals commit suicide at rates that are much higher than the Quebec average and that worries all of us,” Mr. Boisclair said.
In referring to his own experience growing-up in Montreal, the PQ Leader noted how privileged he was to be sheltered from homophobia.
“I grew-up in an environment where I had caring parents and fantastic friends,” Mr. Boisclair said.
He said homophobia is not an issue in the campaign, and candidates' sexual orientation will not influence most voters.
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Keep sexuality out of campaign, Charest says
HEATHER SCOFFIELD
Globe and Mail Update
MONTREAL — Voters should not be discussing Parti Québécois Leader André Boisclair's sexual orientation as part of the provincial election campaign, Liberal Leader Jean Charest said this morning in a solemn and rare moment of solidarity with his arch-rival.
Earlier this week, a radio host in the Saguenay region taunted a PQ candidate and his leader for being gay – leaving Mr. Boisclair speechless with anger yesterday.
Friday morning, Mr. Charest had harsh words for anyone trying to turn homosexuality into an election issue.
“In my eyes, this is unacceptable,” he said told reporters on the campaign trail. “We want a campaign based solidly on ideas, and not on questions about the personal life of people participating in the campaign.”
Indeed, the Liberal Leader has a history of supporting gay politicians in their quest to place policy above sexual orientation. In the federal election campaign in 1997, when Mr. Charest was the leader of the Progressive Conservative party, he gave a memorable pep talk to Scott Brison, then a struggling gay candidate in Nova Scotia.
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