Actor Michel Savard will no longer be the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) candidate in the riding of Gouin, the party announced Wednesday, after insults he made in the past against the Parti Québécois (PQ) resurfaced.
Screenshots circulating Wednesday on social media showed a comment Savard made under a post by actor Pierre-Luc Brillant, in which he said that “the PQ is a far-right aberration under PSPP (Paul St-Pierre Plamondon).”
“All those who follow this hateful and megalomaniac being are — despite all their good faith — also small Nazis of no stature, including your girlfriend and you,” Savard wrote in his comment.
Savard posted a message on Facebook Wednesday apologizing to St-Pierre Plamondon, Brillant and his wife, Isabelle Blais.
“For several years, I participated in this culture of confrontation that poisons social networks. I sometimes wrote with the aim of provoking and shocking. With hindsight, I realize that this way of debating has too often hurt people,” he said.
However, the PLQ announced late in the afternoon that Savard will not be able to run for the party in the Montreal riding of Gouin.
“New comments made in the past by Michel Savard have been brought to our attention in the last hour. After reassessing the situation, we have come to the conclusion that maintaining his candidacy is no longer possible,” the PLQ said in a post on social media.
“This decision reflects our desire to maintain high standards of respect in public debate and our firm commitment against all forms of verbal violence.”
Michel Savard has appeared in many Quebec series, including “STAT,” “Indefensible” and “District 31.”
In June, Québec solidaire announced that former federal MP Alexandre Boulerice will be the candidate in Gouin, as he tries to succeed Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois in the provincial election this fall.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
