Colleen Larivière, mayor of Litchfield, introduced Fortin at the event as the “Champion of the Pontiac.” Bill Telford, former owner of Billy T’s was also there to introduce and endorse Fortin.

“It’s a campaign that is going to have very distinct . . .

tracks this year,” said Fortin during his introductory remarks. “We’ll talk about our values because Pontiac values are sometimes a bit different than the values of people elsewhere in the province. We have a different way of thinking, we have a different way of living and a different way of appreciating things.”

Fortin also said the campaign will be about services and added that he will put forward ideas he has heard from locals to improve services in the area.

Fortin then focused his remarks on English-speakers, hammering home what he sees as anglophone rights being trampled by the CAQ.

“It feels like the government is doing everything to not get your vote,” said Fortin about the CAQ. “They are doing everything to make you feel like you’re not at home here, to make you feel like they’re using your tax dollars, sometimes, against the interests of the English-speaking community. And they’re doing it repeatedly. They took away all the English from the CAQ website this week. They refused to take part in the English language debates. That’s true here locally and it’s true from the premier’s standpoint as well. Even René Lévesque took part in English language debates.”

Fortin continued on the point of the CAQ refusing to debate in English.

“I’d be ashamed if I was somebody who categorized people as historic anglophones and then categorized everybody else as different,” said Fortin. “I’d be ashamed to if I was handcuffing English language institutions, if I was removing services to anglophones or if I was removing services in English to people who are newcomers to our province, if I was making you pay for translation of all legal documents that are going to the Quebec government, something that I as a francophone won’t have to do, but you as Anglophone will now have to do. I wouldn’t stand up in a debate if I was somebody who would allow search and seizure of documents of small businesses without any mandates whatsoever.”

Fortin then talked extensively about policies on healthcare (see Candidates speak on healthcare and climate change on page 3)

Fortin also committed to fight for allowing English students to École primaire Ste-Marie in Otter Lake instead of busing 40 km to Shawville. Currently it’s a francophone only school.

“If we talk about revitalizing our towns, if we talk about decentralization, if we talk about local service for local people; that is a prime example of something that should be done,” said Fortin. “But right now, it isn’t being done because the government’s philosophy that you cannot put an anglophone next to a francophone.”

During his speech, Fortin explicitly criticized both the CAQ and the Conservative Party of Quebec by name.

Fortin concluded by reiterating that he stands for Pontiac values.

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