Merasty Breaks Silence on Quebec Vote No-Show

Merasty Breaks Silence on Quebec Vote No-Show

Tuesday, December 05, 2006 at 15:09

 

 

A northern politician says personal reasons kept him from attending a recent vote in Parliament that recognized the Quebecois as a nation.

 

Gary Merasty was quiet last week over why he didn’t attend the vote, which passed easily through the House of Commons.

 

The Liberal MP won’t say specifically what it was that kept him from attending the motion, but he now says it is something he generally supports.

 

Merasty says he knows First Nations and Metis leaders feel the motion could somehow erode their own struggles for greater recognition, but he feels they stand on solid ground due to provisions in the Constitution that recognize Aboriginal rights.

 

Meantime, Merasty admits to being disappointed Michael Ignatieff was unsuccessful in his bid to lead the Liberals.

 

Merasty and 37 other MPs had backed the former Harvard professor, who narrowly lost to Stephane Dion.

 

Still, Merasty says Dion is a solid candidate who will be able to bring the party together.

 

Merasty also says Dion is very receptive to many issues affecting northerners, like the need to clean up abandoned uranium mines.