Quebec politicians need to take ‘consent test’: Option Nationale

A political party in Quebec says it believes the province’s MNAs  should be tested on their understanding of sexual assault in the wake of allegations recently levelled against a provincial lawmaker.

The Option Nationale, a small separatist political party, is asking all other parties to help them draft a “consent test” for elected MNAs. They say this is the best way to inform politicians about the nuances of sexual harassment and assault. They add that they want to change attitudes in the National Assembly and in greater society.

The party’s proposal comes on the heels of sexual assault allegations levelled against Liberal MNA Gerry Sklavounos.

The fringe party wants politicians to answer questions on hypothetical scenarios including, “What is sexual consent?”

“The simple answer to that is when there’s no yes, it’s a no,” Sol Zanetti, Option Nationale’s leader, said. “It’s not so easy for everybody to say no when they don’t want to.”