The Bloc Quebecois Leader Doesn't Think One Day Of Punishment For Jagmeet Singh Is Enough
The House Of Commons saw an uncommon shakeup on Wednesday. NDP leader Jagmeet Singh was removed from the chamber after he called a Bloc Quebecois MP racist. Now that party's leader is asking for either an apology or stricter punishment.
During a June 18 press conference, Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet was asked what steps he would like to see next after Singh's remarks toward MP Alain Therrien.
Blanchet said there are only two things he hopes for or expects in regards to the entire situation.
"I hope that the leader of the NDP will apologize sincerely," Blanchet said.
"And if not, I hope the [speaker] of the House of Commons will be quite severe, because if the only penalty is not being allowed into the room for one day or being allowed to speak for one day, everybody will feel entitled to do the same, and trade insults and accusations on the floor, which is not a good idea."
Blanchet also urged Singh to "explain to the Canadian people what really happened," while also emphasizing that Therrien is "anything but a racist person."
Blanchet also said his Twitter feed is now filled with insults toward him and his party from people who want to convey the idea that the Bloc Quebecois is racist.
Blanchet was also asked about Singh's claim that on top of shouting "no" to defeat a motion acknowledging that there is systemic racism in the RCMP, Therrien also waved Singh off with a dismissive hand gesture.
"I cannot change our behaviour following something that nobody did," Blanchet said, while vehemently denying that any gesture that occurred could be interpreted as being racist.
Singh received support online from his wife, Gurkiran Kaur Sidhu, who wrote "My darling Jagmeet, don't ever back down, fight racism with every inch of your existence."
Discussions about systemic racism in Canada's police forces has been an ongoing topic of discussion, particularly after a video surfaced of RCMP officers tackling and punching Chief Allan Adam.