Former premier Jean Charest calls on politicians to promote civility [Video]

Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest is concerned about the rise in incivility across the country.

In an open letter that he co-signed with former mayors, senators, artists and business people, he is calling on the political class to take concrete action to clean up public debate.

The letter, which was published this week in The Globe and Mail, has caused a huge stir on social media, said Charest in a telephone interview with The Canadian Press.

“The reaction is very strong. We were surprised. It surprised me a lot,” he said. “Some people are reacting badly, seeing this appeal as a kind of call for silence when that’s not the case at all.”

The signatories say they have noticed that Canadians are less and less tolerant of differing points of view and are increasingly belligerent, particularly when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

They point to a “broad and disturbing” …