QUEBEC - Politicians in Quebec's legislature will have to come up with a new way to slag their opponents now that the word 'weathervane' has been added to the list of unparliamentary language.
Speaker Michel Bissonnet judged the word to be "hurtful'' as the legislature resumed Tuesday after the summer break.
Premier Jean Charest has called Opposition Leader Mario Dumont a weathervane on numerous occasions recently, elevating him on Tuesday to "national weathervane'' during the legislature session.
Charest made the crack near the end of the heated debate as he reiterated his belief that the Action democratique du Quebec leader is like a weathervane in the wind because he is always changing directions.
Charest said that while Dumont once called for the Caisse de depot et placement pension fund manager to intervene less in Quebec's economy, now he wants the Caisse to buy up large Montreal-based firms whenever foreign investors take an interest in them.
On Tuesday, Charest used the word in discussing infrastructure.
Bissonet decided enough was enough and ruled that the weathervane comment was out of line.
Charest insisted calling Dumont a weathervane is fair comment and tried to just withdraw the word "national'' in calling Dumont the "national weathervane.'' The premier asked whether the word weathervane is on the list of unparliamentary language.
Bissonett replied that it is now.
"I find that this is unparliamentary and hurtful,'' Bissonet said.
On the other hand, Pauline Marois used her maiden speech in the legislature as leader of the Parti Quebecois to talk about the type of Quebec she wants to see in the future.
Marois said she will fight for sovereignty, a secular society and the protection of the French language.
She said new immigrants should respect Quebec values, which include the French language, equality of men and women, and the rights of children.
"These are the sorts of values that must be accepted by new arrivals to be members of our family,'' she said.
Marois noted that "Quebec is not perfect but it is our country.''
She said Quebecers do not want violence.
"We don't want to reproduce here the many conflicts that exist between countries, religions and cultures.''
Marois, the first woman to be elected PQ leader, said sovereignty is the best option for the province.
Marois and Dumont also criticized Charest on his efforts to help the struggling forestry and manufacturing sector.
Charest said economic development will be his priority in the new session of the legislature.
The premier is leading a minority government with 48 seats, compared with 41 for the ADQ and 36 for the PQ.
