Daniel Leblanc, Globe & Mail
Wednesday April 8, 2020
Conservative MPs are beginning to discover that they've been blocked on Twitter by Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet.
Though it's fairly common for politicians to block trolls, bots, or spammers, it's not common for leaders or MPs to block other members of Parliament.
Conservative MPs Alain Rayes and Luc Berthold are two of at least seven who have been blocked from seeing or engaging with Blanchet's posts.
The Bloc and the Conservatives tend not to see eye to eye. The two are often chasing the same votes throughout la belle province, with the Bloc being the second largest party, and the Conservatives at a distant third.
In a statement to the Globe and Mail, Blanchet noted that while he does run his own Twitter, he does not keep track of blocks on Twitter.
“It is a lot of work, but it helps to stay in touch with the population,” said Blanchet. “However, partisan attacks, insults and fake accounts do not belong on these sites, especially in a time of crisis.”
“The issue is not seeing who can score political points but rather to determine what is good for Quebec,” he continued. “I hope the Conservatives are not putting their partisan interests ahead of those who are out of work or who are affected by the virus.”