Indian-born Liberal MP says not speaking French isn't an issue to Quebec voters

Sheila Gunn Reid and David Menzies discuss how Liberal MP Chandra Arya, who was born in India and moved to Canada in 2006, feels speaking French isn't an issue to voters in Quebec.

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convincing Governor General Mary Simon to prorogue Parliament and declaring his intent to step down as PM and leader of the Liberal Party, the party's leadership race is slowly starting to take shape.

One of the first names to publicly announce they're running for the top job was Ottawa MP Chandra Arya. Arya, who was born in India before moving to Canada in 2006, created controversy by suggesting the French language would not be a prominent issue to Quebec voters.

"No. At the end of the day, Quebecers see who delivers what," he told CBC during an interview discussing the topic.

On Friday's Rebel Roundup livestream, David Menzies and Sheila Gunn Reid shared their thoughts on the new direction Arya is trying to take the Liberals.

Looking at how Arya has brought issues regarding India into Canada's Parliament, “this is not a Canadian issue,” Sheila said.

“What are you doing? Now we have Sikh Parliamentarians and Hindu Parliamentarians fighting each other in the Canadian House of Commons, and we're like 'we can't even afford electricity right now'. Can we get back to the business of running the business here?”

Issues like Sikh separatism, David said, “is more alive in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. than it is in India.” This he said, means, “unfortunately, it is a Canadian issue these days.”

“I take your criticism and accept it,” Sheila replied. “I just don't know why these elected parliamentarians are bringing former homeland grudges here and making it an issue in the House of Commons.”

New episode of Rebel Roundup air live ever Monday and Friday at 1 p.m. ET (11 a.m. MT).

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  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-01-13 19:12:46 -0500
    It is an issue for Ottawa. Our lunatic governments have made French a prerequisite for being in the federal government. Even the higher bureaucratic positions require workers to be bilingual. Meanwhile this snooty attitude has offended English speakers. Those Quebec separatists gave their province a bad name by always pushing their will on the other nine and the territories. Unlike many, I remember the sixties and the first Trudeau.