Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, Canadian Heritage dismissed one of its employees, Edith Gendron, who had just become the president of a sovereignist group in the Outaouais called “Le Québec, un pays”.
This measure by the federal government squarely violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, considering there was nothing wrong with the work performed by Ms. Gendron. Moreover, as a federal public servant, she has political rights recognized by the Supreme Court of Canada.
It is also strange and ironic, to say the least, that one of the members of the committee that made the decision to dismiss Ms. Gendron is none other than Guylain Thorne, a well-known Liberal and former chief of staff of the member for Bourassa.
By refusing to get involved, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who is also a Quebecker, becomes an accomplice in the taking of a partisan, undemocratic and totally discriminatory measure. Such are the true Liberal values.