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First it was a quip about a line of coke. Then it was a pair of Doc Martens in Quebec’s National Assembly.

Now, almost a year later, rookie Québec Solidaire MNA Catherine Dorion is back in the headlines, this time because of a short skirt and an orange hoodie. Her clothing choices have kicked off another firestorm of controversy over decorum in Quebec’s legislature, while her party calls for everyone to calm down and get back to work.

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Among Quebec’s commentariat, much ink has been spilled of late on Dorion’s attire. But the question of what Dorion is wearing — or what she ought to be wearing — is hardly the most interesting issue at hand. The real question to ask is this: What is Dorion doing?

A polarizing figure since her election in October 2018, Dorion has never been afraid to stir the pot. She has embraced the role of iconoclast, and is arguably the most visible symbol of Québec Solidaire’s recent shift toward left-wing populism.