CAQ candidate says his F

CAQ candidate says his F-bomb at Trump during interview was 'inappropriate'

Party's leader, Christine Fréchette, highlights importance of respectful vocabulary

Coalition Avénir Québec (CAQ) candidate Bernard Drainville says his choice of words in a recent French-language interview — during which he said ‘F--k you’ to U.S. President Donald Trump — was inappropriate.

In a 20-minute interview clip posted Wednesday evening by radio station FM 93, Drainville spoke at length about Trump after being asked if it was "annoying that Trump has kidnapped the electoral campaign."

Drainville said the Canada-U.S. trade war is hurting Quebecers and that he came into politics to be a strong voice for the people he represents.

"What’s going on right now risks weakening us," he said.

"In the demands he made at the end of the negotiations, there was a real desire to say ‘you Canada, you belong to us, you’re mine.’ Well, f–k you, esti."

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Reaction poured in from politicians, and CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette said Thursday that it is important to keep a respectful vocabulary.

"That’s what I asked of Mr. Drainville and he understood that the vocabulary used was not ideal," she said.

She did, however, add that she understands the indignation from Drainville and Quebecers toward the trade war.

"Even me, I’m outraged regarding the attacks from Trump — from our biggest economic partner — in an unjustified manner," Fréchette said.

Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) Leader Charles Milliard said during a news conference Thursday that he found Drainville's comments "very clumsy."

"I don’t think he likes to be reprimanded by Madame Fréchette," Milliard added.

Quebec Conservative Party Leader Éric Duhaime said Drainville is "someone who often expresses themselves with big words."

Asked by a Journal de Montréal reporter to weigh into the controversy Thursday, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said he had "no time to dedicate to the CAQ staging."

Plamondon added, however, that he had several questions about the story the newspaper broke Wednesday morning — which revealed sovereigntist Plamondon had donated multiple times to the Liberal Party of Canada between 2004 and 2008.

In a statement on X, posted Wednesday evening, Drainville has since said his choice of words was "inappropriate."

"But my indignation remains. We will continue to protect our businesses and our workers, that’s what’s important," he wrote.

Rachel Watts is a journalist with CBC News in Quebec City. Originally from Montreal, she enjoys covering stories in the province of Quebec. You can reach her at rachel.watts@cbc.ca.