Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is stepping into the federal fray, blasting the leader of the Bloc Québécois for calling Canada an “artificial country.”
At a campaign stop earlier this week, Yves-François Blanchet said he felt like he was a member of a “foreign parliament.”
When asked about those comments on Friday, Blanchet doubled down.
“We are, [whether] we like it or not, part of an artificial country with very little meaning called Canada,” he said.
“It’s a foreign parliament because this nation is not mine. I don’t feel more at ease in the Canadian Parliament than [Alberta Premier Danielle] Smith would feel at ease in the Assemblée nationale du Québec.”
It’s hard to believe Mr. Blanchet would describe Canada as “an artificial country with very little meaning.” Say what you want about our challenges, but don’t insult the country we all call home. pic.twitter.com/WHGg1E7Bvg
In a letter addressed to Blanchet, Houston said he was “dismayed” to see the Bloc leader’s comments.
“I find it difficult to find the words to adequately describe how insulting this statement is to all Canadians and to our great nation,” Houston wrote in the letter, which was posted on his social media on Friday night.
“I would hope that anyone asking for the honour of representing Canadians would feel that same pride in this country and constantly work to do whatever it takes to make things better for the people and places they serve.”
Comments not ‘meant as an insult,’ Blanchet says
Blanchet defended his comments on Saturday, saying they weren’t “meant as an insult,” and pointed to former prime minister Justin Trudeau saying Canada is a “post-national state” in a 2015 interview with the New York Times.
“[Canada] has been pulled together through history with the hope of making Quebecers Canadians like any other Canadians and it failed. So maybe this country is a bit artificial,” Blanchet said.
“Quebec is anything but a post-national nation; it’s a proud nation.”
Asked by CBC’s Raffy Boudjikanian on Saturday about his recent comment that Canada is an ‘artificial country with very little meaning,’ Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet reiterated his belief that Canada is an ‘artificial country,’ adding ‘it is not meant as an insult.’
In his letter, Houston said Blanchet should resign as an MP if he believes Canada is artificial.
“I hope going forward you will reflect on what it means to be Canadian and take more pride and honour in being an elected official in Canada. If you can’t do that, I would ask you to step aside in favour of those who put country first,” Houston wrote.
Blanchet was asked Saturday if he would consider Houston’s suggestion or write back to the premier.
“No and no,” he said.
Liberal Leader Mark Carney, speaking in King City, Ont. on Saturday, said he’s ‘incredibly proud to be Canadian’ and that he wants to support unity in the country. Carney was responding to a reporter’s question about recent comments by Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, who called Canada an ‘artificial country with very little meaning.’
Liberal Leader Mark Carney seemed to subtly address Blanchet’s “artificial country” comments during a campaign speech on Saturday morning.
“Some people, on both sides of our border, claim that we’re not a real country,” he said, without specifically mentioning Blanchet. “They couldn’t be more wrong.
“Canada is more than a nation. We are a confederation. A sacred set of ideas and ideals built on practical foundations.”
During the campaign, Carney has largely tried to position himself as the best person to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump. Since his inauguration, Trump has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st state and at one point referred to the Canada-U.S. border as an “artificially drawn line.”
After Carney’s speech on Saturday, reporters asked the Liberal leader to directly respond to Blanchet’s comments.
“I reject them completely,” he said. “This is an incredible country. I am incredibly proud to be Canadian.”
