Legal Ultimatum Deepens Quebec Liberal Crisis
The political crisis within the Quebec Liberal Party has escalated dramatically after Geneviève Hinse, the recently ousted chief of staff for Saint-Laurent MNA Marwah Rizqy, fired back with a lawyer's letter demanding a public retraction. The legal warning, known as a mise en demure, was delivered on Wednesday, November 20, 2025, giving Rizqy 24 hours to comply.
The Demand and Its Consequences
Lawyers representing Hinse, a close associate of Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez, have called on Rizqy to publicly admit the "absence of justified motive" for her dismissal. The letter accuses Rizqy of having "cavalierly claimed to have fired Hinse from her job as chief of staff, notably because of serious misconduct and a breach of confidence." It further states that Rizqy's continued silence "aggravates the prejudice suffered by our client as it raises questions in public opinion about the possibility that such motives could exist."
The legal document offers Rizqy a chance to avoid a lawsuit, but only "on condition that you admit in public within 24 hours the absence of motives justifying the firing." Failure to respond or meet the demand will result in Hinse undertaking legal proceedings.
A Party in Turmoil
The fallout from the initial firing on Monday has been severe. Rizqy, who was the Liberal parliamentary leader at the National Assembly, dismissed Hinse without explanation, according to Hinse. In a swift response, party leader Pablo Rodriguez removed Rizqy from her position as parliamentary leader and suspended her from the Liberal caucus for an undetermined period.
This sequence of events has plunged the Quebec Liberals into a significant crisis, shaking Rodriguez's leadership. As of Wednesday, Rodriguez confirmed that Rizqy has not offered him any explanation for her decision to fire Hinse, who previously served as Rodriguez's chief of staff during his federal political career and followed him into Quebec politics after his election as Liberal leader in June.
The controversy highlights an internal party conflict, with the legal letter accusing Rizqy of violating party custom by making a staffing decision that typically rests with the leader. There has been no immediate public response from Marwah Rizqy, who has maintained silence with the media regarding both the firing and the subsequent legal threat.
