The Prime Minister of Quebec relaunched Tuesday, November 3 a controversy with the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the limits or not of freedom of expression by indicating to have received a call from the French president thanking him for his "
clear position
" on this question .
Read also: Caricatures: Justin Trudeau's position under criticism
"
I said it clearly yesterday, I do not agree with Justin Trudeau's reservations when it comes to condemning without any kind of reservation what happened in France,
" said François Legault in press conference.
The premier of Quebec clarified that the French president called him Tuesday morning to thank him for his “
clear position
” on freedom of expression after giving his support on Monday to Emmanuel Macron, who firmly defended the right to caricature.
Distancing himself from the position of Emmanuel Macron, Justin Trudeau pleaded last week for a prudent use of freedom of expression stressing that it was "
not without limits
" and should not "
arbitrarily injure and unnecessary
”some communities.
These statements by the Canadian Prime Minister, after the beheading on October 16 by an Islamist of a French teacher, Samuel Paty, who had shown his students caricatures of the prophet of Islam, drew criticism from several groups. politics in Canada.
To read also: Caricatures: "Freedom of expression is not without limits", assures Justin Trudeau
"
It is certain that there are some political leaders who fear terrorism and who, faced with the blackmail of certain radical religious groups, are ready to make concessions which are not reasonable,
" said François Legault.
“
The Quebec nation has values
”, he added, referring to “
freedom of expression
”, “
secularism
” and the “
French language
”.
"
It is not true that in the name of multiculturalism, we are going to put that aside and that we are going to make exaggerated compromises
," he said.
Asked before, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recalled for his part that he had expressed his condolences and support to the French people and that he expected to speak to President Macron shortly.
"
We will always defend freedom of expression,
" said the head of the Canadian government, stressing that Canada and France were "
great allies
".