Rona Ambrose's French-language skills defended by Quebec MP
Interim Conservative leader speaks well 'on a personal level,' Gérard Deltell says
One of the Conservative Party's fresh faces in Quebec is coming to the defence of new interim party leader Rona Ambrose.
Ambrose spoke stilted French — and eventually switched to English — on Thursday, in her first meeting with reporters since being chosen for the position.
"Well, first of all, I have to tell you I had a personal chat with Madame Ambrose and on a personal level, one-on-one, she is good in French," Gérard Deltell, a former television broadcaster and provincial MNA, told CBC Montreal's Daybreak on Friday.
"But when you have to talk to people, when you have to talk publicly it is quite difficult."
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Regardless of Ambrose's language abilities, Deltell said Quebec will be well represented within the party.
The Conservatives gained seats in the province the Oct. 19 election, holding onto its base of five ridings and adding seven more.
"There are 12 members of parliament from Quebec… so there is plenty of talent in our caucus," said Deltell, who won the Quebec City riding of Louis—Saint-Laurent.
Asked whether he could be tapped as the party's Quebec spokesperson, Deltell said it was too soon to say and that the decision is up to Ambrose.