Liberal Party crisis: Marwah Rizqy makes first public statement

Former Liberal parliamentary leader Marwah Rizqy makes her first public statement since being kicked out of caucus after controversial firing.

Saint-Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy said she was aware that the last few days have put the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) in an awkward position on Sunday, in her first public appearance since she dismissed her chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse.

Rizqy came out of the shadows shortly before Liberal leader Pablo Rodriguez appeared on Radio-Canada’s Tout le monde en parle. Rodriguez said on the show that he has still not been able to speak with Rizqy and did not know her reasons for dismissing Hinse.

Rizqy dismissed Hinse, a close associate of Rodriguez, without consulting him first. On Tuesday, Rodriguez removed Rizqy from her position as parliamentary leader and suspended her from the caucus, citing a “breach of trust.”

In a post on social media on Sunday evening, Rizqy said that although she has “never shied away” from her political career, she could not answer all the questions in this case.

“I would like to point out that the matter concerning me is a human resources issue and that our laws do not allow an employer to publicly comment on an employee’s case in the public arena,” she wrote.

“I would also like to point out that I am not the source of the media coverage of this decision, and I would like to state that throughout the decision-making process in this matter, I was closely supported by the human resources department of the Quebec National Assembly and that I maintained confidentiality at all times.”

She maintained that none of her colleagues had been informed of her decision in advance.

“This is proof that I was in no way pursuing any political agenda,” she argued.

On Wednesday, Hinse’s lawyer summoned Rizqy to publicly admit within 24 hours that there were no grounds for her client’s dismissal.

However, the Member for Saint-Laurent instead sent a letter to Hinse through her lawyer.

On Friday morning, Cogeco revealed the contents of Rizqy’s letter. It states that Hinse was dismissed “due to significant ethical breaches, particularly with regard to compliance with the standards of the Quebec National Assembly, internal procedures and expectations related to her position.”

In her Sunday post, Rizqy maintained that she had made her decision “in accordance with the rules that govern us” and that if Rodriguez or the new parliamentary leader André Fortin felt that her decision was not the right one, “they are free to rehire the former chief of staff.”

Rodriguez did not answer host Guy A. Lepage’s questions about whether or not he would rehire Hinse. Nor did he specify whether the door was still open for Rizqy to rejoin the caucus, or whether she would be excluded.

Rodriguez says he defends freedom of the press

Rizqy’s departure adds to a turbulent week for the PLQ, during which the Journal de Montréal also published disturbing text messages related to the party leadership race.

The Journal de Montréal revealed messages suggesting that members who supported Rodriguez during the race received cash rewards. However, the individuals behind these text messages are not named in the article.

On Friday, Rodriguez announced that his party would be issuing a formal notice to the media outlet.

When asked by the guest co-host of the week on Tout le monde en parle, MC Gilles, about the possibility of “abuses” when a party leader sues a media outlet, Rodriguez argued that he was defending freedom of the press.

“I always want to defend a free, independent, non-partisan press,” Rodriguez said, adding that he is not asking for the Journal de Montréal’s sources, but that he wants to know the names of the people involved in the text messages and that the newspaper prove the veracity of the messages.

Rodriguez added that if these text messages are true, the people involved will be expelled from the party.

Milliard and Blackburn support Rodriguez

PLQ leadership candidates Charles Milliard and Karl Blackburn also spoke out on social media on Sunday, reiterating their support for Rodriguez. They spoke out after La Presse reported that a group of Liberal party members wanted to force an extraordinary general council meeting, where Rodriguez could be subject to a vote of confidence.

“As soon as he was elected, I rallied behind Pablo and continued to be involved in the QLP. I am a party man,” wrote Milliard. “My energies are now devoted to my work as a university professor. The current situation pains my activist heart, and I have full confidence in the process that has been put in place to shed light on the matter.”

Blackburn, for his part, said he supports Rodriguez in “getting through” this crisis.

“Like (Pablo Rodriguez), I want everything to be cleared up as quickly as possible so that the PLQ can resume its game plan for the next election,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 24, 2025.

With information from Thomas Laberge, The Canadian Press, in Quebec City.