Why can’t Premier Legault say he’s a proud Canadian?

There are many things I disagree with our current premier about, for instance, his insistence on taking an anti-oil and gas stance. The truth is, we need local oil right now, and we need pipelines (the safest mode of transporting oil by far).

But the thing that gets me the most riled up about our current provincial leader is not anything he insists upon, it’s something he refuses to say.

During a typically unremarkable token debate to approve spending plans, Legault’s political opponents took the opportunity to grill him on his failure to assert his Canadian pride.

Pascal Bérubé, leader of the Parti Québécois, used his debate time to question Legault about his refusal to say that he is a proud Canadian.

Legault responded not by affirming pride in Canada, but instead with a pathetic and weak statement: “I am proud to be a Quebecer. I accept that Quebec is in Canada.”

Well, I accept that Legault is the premier, but I can’t proudly say that I’m glad he is. I want a premier who loves Canada at least as much as we do.

As an Anglo-Quebecer who speaks little French, I can proudly say that I’m a proud Quebecer and a proud Canadian in no specific order. Why can’t Premier Legault?