Wave of support for Marwah Rizqy for his commitment to the Bedford case

Photo: Justin Tang The Canadian Press Liberal MP Marwah Rizqy arrives at a Quebec Liberal Party caucus meeting in Gatineau, Que., on Sept. 3

Caroline Plante – The Canadian Press

Published at 16:07 Updated at 16:14

• Quebec

Liberal MP for Saint-Laurent Marwah Rizqy called for police protection on Tuesday, saying she feared for her safety and that of her family.

Ms. Rizqy was the target of insults after denouncing the toxic climate imposed by 11 teachers at Bedford School in Montreal.

Quebecor media outlets broadcast a speech Monday by preacher Adil Charkaoui, who suggested that Ms. Rizqy was exaggerating things about the school, calling her a “Moroccan on duty,” in his own words.

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On Tuesday, Ms. Rizqy swore to reporters at the National Assembly that she would continue to do her job and speak out loud and clear, despite the degrading and threatening remarks directed at her.

“Freedom of expression, freedom as a legislator, is up to me to be the guarantor, along with all my parliamentary colleagues. No, I am not discouraged. “I'm rolling up my sleeves and I'm going to continue,” she said.

The elected representative from Saint-Laurent also wanted to thank the deputies from other political parties, many of whom showed their support for her.

This is not the first time that Marwah Rizqy, known for her outspokenness, has been targeted in this way; she received death threats during the 2022 election campaign.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville, Québec solidaire parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, and PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon are among those who denounced the treatment reserved for Ms. Rizqy on Tuesday.

Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon recalled that he himself had experienced an episode of threats last spring.

“This morning, I called the Secretary General of the National Assembly […] and [I] told him: 'Give this member of parliament all the means and all the security she deserves, whether she is a minister or not, whether she is a party leader or not,'” he recounted in a press briefing.

Also read

• Drainville suspends teaching permits of 11 teachers at Bedford School
• Students who studied at Bedford School will be followed up
• Editorial | Why the Bedford School case is extremely serious