General

Liberals give Quebec candidate the boot

André Forbes expelled over past comments about aboriginals

In a statement Wednesday, Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff announced that Quebec candidate André Forbes has had his candidacy revoked. “Mr. Forbes has been informed that he is no longer a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada,” he said. “Mr. Forbes’ comments have no place within the Liberal Party of Canada.” At issue were comments Mr. Forbes made in March 2002 in Quebec City’s Le Soleil newspaper. “We all know that the aboriginals will not keep their jobs,” he said. “I have worked for many years for Gulf Paper of Clarke City, which closed in 1968. Many Montagnais worked there. I only remember one who did a good job. There must have been others hard-working among them, but I don’t recall one name.” Mr. Forbes, who is Métis and a well-known activist for Metis rights in Quebec, was serving as the president of an association for the rights of white people at the time.


Montreal Gazette

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