François Legault Apologized After Seemingly Linking Immigration In Quebec To Violence

François Legault has found himself in some hot water following a press conference on Wednesday, September 7, during which he seemingly linked violence in Quebec to immigration. The premier is now backtracking on his statement and has issued an apology for any confusion his words may have caused.

During the press conference, which tackled agriculture in Quebec, Legault was asked about the possibility of increasing immigration targets throughout the province. François Legault was quick to nip that in the bud by stating that his government had no plans of doing so as "Quebecers are peaceful. They don't like extremists [or] violence." Well, then...

It did not take much time before many members of the public called out the Coalition Avenir Québec leader for apparently connecting immigration with "extremism" and "violence." But, according to Legault, that simply was not the case.

In a tweet issued the evening of September 7, Legault stated that "immigration is an asset for Quebec. Integration will always be a challenge for a francophone nation in North America. I did not mean to associate immigration with violence. I'm sorry if my words caused confusion. I aim to bring people together."

Despite his apology, many are still furious over his words. One Twitter user called Legault out, stating his apology was untrue. "False. Your aim is to divide to rule. You are not fooling anyone. On October 3, you're out," they wrote.

Another wrote that the damage had already been done. "Too late, the damage has been done and your electoral base is in agreement with what you said. Bad communicator or a divisive one?"

With the Quebec election less than a month away, this was certainly not a great look for Legault.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.