Marwah Rizqy

St. Laurent, Jacques-Cartier MNAs support Rodriguez for QLP leader

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By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

St. Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy and Jacques Cartier MNA Gregory Kelley have declared their support for Pablo Rodriguez as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.

Rodriguez, who has appeared at several local events lately, was former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant. He made the latest endorsement announcement accompanied by Michelle Setlakwe, campaign co-chair and MNA for Mont-Royal–Outremont.

Kelley and Rizqy are a married couple. Kelley, also the Official Opposition Critic for Energy, for Natural Resources, and for Relations with English-Speaking Quebecers, stated that Rodriguez is “someone who brings people together, not someone who divides.

“He has the experience and know-how to help continue to rebuild the party and I feel confident supporting someone who has faced down the Trump administration as a federal minister and has contacts all across Quebec and Canada. He can make Quebec a leader in the Canadian federation again, something we need in these unstable times.”

Rizqy, who announced months ago that she is not running for re-election, said Rodriguez is “the right man for the Quebec Liberal Party.

“His experience and drive will allow us to build a strong Liberal team to offer Quebecers a credible alternative to François Legault.”

Rodriguez himself stated this week that “I have a plan, I have the experience, and I definitely have a strong team to take on François Legault and the PQ in the next election.

“In order for the QLP to win the next election, it is absolutely necessary to unite all the Liberal forces. It is thanks to competent and high-quality people like Greg and Marwah that I will succeed. I’m really lucky to be able to count on their support and, above all, to have the privilege of calling them my friends,” says Pablo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez has already received endorsements from MNAs Désirée McGraw, Linda Caron, Setlakwe, Frédéric Beauchemin, Brigitte Garceau, Sona Lakhoyan-Olivier, Elisabeth Prass and Marie-Claude Nichols

Rodriguez is running against Karl Blackburn former President of the Conseil du Patronat du Quebec (2020–2025) Director General of the QLP (2009–2013) and MNA for Roberval (2003–2007) and Charles Milliard former President of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec (2020–2024). Also in the race are attorney Marc Belamger and economist Mario Roy. n

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St. Laurent MNA wants ban on injection sites near schools

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By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

St. Laurent Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy has introduced Bill 892, to ban supervised injection sites for drug addicts near elementary and high schools and daycare centres. The law would ban such facilities within 150 metres of such educational institutions in Montreal, and within 250 metres of the institutions elsewhere in the province.

“The bill states that the government may, by regulation, determine the services that constitute supervised consumption services and provide other standards relating to the location of supervised consumption services,” she told the National Assembly. “The bill gives organizations that offer supervised consumption services at the time of its assent a period of two years from the date of its assent to comply with the prohibition it introduces.”

Rizqy posted on X that “many of you have written to us to ask for legislation to ensure that supervised drug consumption centres are not set up near schools and daycares. I stood up in the House to challenge the Legault government on this issue a year ago. Last September, Premier Legault finally admitted that we cannot ask children to live with intoxicated people. The parliamentary session is coming to an end, and the Liberal Party of Quebec is offering this bill to the government. You can even erase my name, the important thing is to legislate promptly. For a Quebec that has the good and safety of its children at heart.”

The QLP posted that “the ball is now in the CAQ’s camp.”

Lionel Carmant, the Social Services Minister, says he plans to introduce a similar bill next spring. “We’re already working on it with the legal affairs department,” he told reporters. “I’ve already said that, yes, we want to reduce distances, but we also want to facilitate access to care for drug addicts. We will study what [Rizqy] has presented to us, but we want something a little broader.” n

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St.Laurent MNA asks for police protection after Bedford comments

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By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

In a rare show of unity in the National Assembly, all party leaders and members – called to action by Parti Québecois leader Paul St. Pierre-Plamondon – voiced support for Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy. In the wake of the École Bedford scandal, Rizqy has received threatening and harassing messages, and has asked for police protection for her family.

Last week when news about École Bedford came to a head in the National Assembly, Parti Québécois leader Paul St. Pierre-Plamondon held a news conference in which he said the story came to the fore thanks to a Cogeco journalist, “and to the work of an MNA named Marwah Rizqy.” He denounced the harassing and intimidating messages that Rizqy was subject to in the wake of her comments on the issue. “The statements made by a religious leader were degrading and threatening to a member of the National Assembly,” St. Pierre-Plamondon said. He called the other leaders and members of the National Assembly to show support for Rizqy. One particularly galling comment came from controversial Imam Adil Charkaoui – likely the religious leader St. Pierre-Plamondon referred to – who called Rizqy a “Marocaine de service.” The expression was translated in the English media as “token Moroccan,” but it’s nastier in French. Rizqy’s parents are of Moroccan origin.

As the Opposition critic for education, Rizqy took a strong stance in the matter, saying Isabelle Gélinas, the Director-General of the CSSDM, should have done more, and done it sooner. Rizqy was partly responsible for the government report into the 11 teachers who were ultimately suspended pending further investigation. The St. Laurent MNA accused Gélinas of willful blindness, and called for her to step down.

St. Pierre-Plamondon posted his support for Rizqy on X. Rizqy also posted, saying she’d received a call from an unknown number. It turned out to be St. Pierre-Plamondon. “He wanted to know how Greg (Kelley) and I were doing. He offered us his moral support, and offered to walk with me so that I won’t be alone.”

Rizqy added her thanks, as well, to François Legault’s cabinet, saying “last night I received a message of support. On behalf of my family, thank you.”

The St. Laurent MNA announced earlier this year that she would not be seeking reelection. Rizqy is a strong political critic who had been considered a contender for the future leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. But she announced earlier this month that she is choosing family life over political life. “This mandate will be my last,” she posted on X on October 1. “Of course I will be giving 100% to the best of my abilities.”

Speaking at a news conference last Tuesday, Rizqy admitted she feared for her and her family’s safety, including her husband, MNA Greg Kelley, their two children, and Rizqy’s mother, and has asked for police protection. However, she has not shied away from continuing this fight, tweeting about other public schools with issues similar to École Bedford, and calling on the education minister to put a stop to it.

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Eleven teachers suspended at Bedford elementary school

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

The eleven teachers from Bedford Elementary School in Cotes des Neiges accused to practices leading to a toxic environment have been suspended. The Centre de services scolaire de Montreal made the announcement on Saturday, receiving a positive response from the education minister, but a lukewarm response from Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy.

However, the story has since caused waves in the National Assembly, with reaction from both Parti Quebecois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, and from Premier Francois Legault.

Last week, news surfaced that those teachers were the subject of an investigation into reports of abuse, both psychological and physical. The teachers were alleged to have engaged in what some referred to as old school disciplinarian techniques – bullying, yelling, intimidation, and even physical discipline, avoidance of science, and allegedly banning girls from sports activities.

Over the weekend it was reported that, according to the government,that the teachers in question had introduced religious concepts into their courses and comprised what the report referred to as a “dominant clan.” Other teachers had opposed the reported behaviour of the suspended teachers.

Legault posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was “shocked” to hear that “religious concepts” had been introduced into the public school, and has called on Education Minister Bernard Drainville and Jean-Francois Roberge, the minister responsible for secularism, to intervene. “For our part,” Drainville wrote, “we will continue to use all the tools at our disposal.” The move echoes St. Pierre Plamondon who, in the wake of the scandal, called for stricter secularism rules. Legault’s post specified that it was “disturbing” to hear that these teachers brought “Islamic religious concepts” into the school.

Isabelle Gélinas, the Director-General of the CSSDM, asked the school to take the step of suspending the teachers “to restore a safe and healthy environment for Bedford students and the entire educational community as quickly as possible.” Drainville took to X to acknowledge the announcement, and echoed Gélinas’ words, posting that “staff hard at work on game plan to restore safe, healthy atmosphere at Bedford School.”

The allegations date back to the 2016-17 school year. And the ministry is looking at three other schools within the CSSDM: Bienville, Saint-Pascal-Baylong, and La Voie High School. It is not yet clear whether the teachers will lose their licenses. But the suspensions will remain in effect for the duration of the investigation.

Rizqy, who had previously called for Gélinas to step down over the issue, says the move was made too late. Gélinas claimed she took the decision after she learned the identities of the teachers in question, names which Rizqy says were already known. n

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DDO Mental Health Town Hall held by youth council

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The Robert-Baldwin Youth Council supported by the MNA for Robert-Baldwin, Brigitte Garceau held a lengthy Town Hall meeting on the future of education and issues of mental health amongst youth at the Dollard-des-Ormeaux civic centre last Saturday. Special guests were Saint-Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy and PCSM case worker and sexologist Carine Dahab. Dahab led attendees in a conversational presentation on general mental health issues affecting young people within the framework of educational institutions. “The aim is to work towards positive and inclusive education,” Dahab said.

An array of issues including the effects of conjugal violence on youth, inclusive education on sexuality affecting the LGBTQ community and persons with physical or mental challenges, young victims of sexual abuse and education on informed consent were discussed. Amongst the dozens of attendees were public officials including Pierrefonds-Roxboro mayor Jim Beis and Pointe-Claire mayor Tim Thomas.

Several organizations linked to youth in the West Island Community participated in the discussion including AJOI, Punjabi health and education organization, Community Perspective on Mental Health organization (PCSM), West Island Women’s centre, West Island Mission represented by executive director Suzanne Scarrow and Table de Quartier Ouest de L’Ile (TQSOI).

“What is interesting about today is that everybody was touched in some way about the issues being discussed. When discussing education or mental health — we all relate in some shape or form. We need to reflect on these issues in order to make things better for citizens and youth. This was a thought provoking discussion,” Garceau told The Suburban. Rizqy drove home the point of the historically high drop-out rate for boys as opposed to girls. It’s an issue that has to be addressed and solved, she said, as it is a major factor in young people’s mental health and chances for success.

“We have a long way to go and these discussions stimulate the thought process for plans to make positive changes,” PCSM clinical director Emmanuelle Morin said to The Suburban. n

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