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Pauline Marois turns down request for English debate

Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois at news conference Thursday, in Drummondville, Que. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

MONTREAL – PQ leader Pauline Marois says she’s not comfortable enough in English to participate in an English-language debate.

“I am able to speak in English and I think I’ve improved my English but I don’t think I will be very comfortable in a debate for explaining my specific point of view.” she said Thursday.

“And I don’t think that will serve the Anglo Quebecers but I am able to have a dialogue with Anglo Quebecers and I proved that in the past and I will continue to do that in the future.”

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On Monday, a consortium of English-language media in Quebec officially invited party leaders to take part in a 90-minute televised debate in English in the run-up to the next Quebec provincial election.

READ MORE: Quebec media invite provincial leaders to debate – in English

News directors from Global Montreal, CBC, CJAD, CTV and The Gazette reached out to the leaders of all four main provincial parties.

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Philippe Couillard of the Quebec Liberal Party, Quebec Solidaire’s Françoise David and François Legault from the Coalition Avenir Quebec were all open to the idea of an English-language debate.

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