Brett Thoms
Pontiac June 15, 2022
Premier Legault said he suspects that the Liberal Party of Quebec is being run by the Federal Liberal Party. He added that he wouldn’t be surprised if the federal Liberals intervene on the side of the provincial Liberals as they’ve allegedly done in the past.
“We have to remember that André Fortin was preparing Justin Trudeau for the last [federal] debate,” said Legault at a press conference on June 10.
These comments come off Legault’s support for . . .
Erin O’Toole in the 2021 federal election for his openness to giving the government of Quebec more powers over immigration.
Legault said that his two priorities for the election will be the economy and making Quebec prouder.
When asked how he would ensure Quebec doesn’t mimic Ontario when it comes to low voter turnout in the upcoming election, Legault said the new measures like on-campus voting and early voting will help.
“We’re lucky to have this democracy in Quebec. I’ll do my best to convince as many people as possible to go out and vote,” he said.
Legault also defended Bill 96 at the press conference.
“Some anglophones said that because of [Bill 96] they won’t get services in healthcare or education, which is not true, some even said they’d go on your [cell phone] and see if you are speaking French or English, that’s not true,” said Legault.
However he stood firm on the controversial aspect requiring immigrants to only receive government services in French after 6-months.
“You cannot tell people in Quebec that it’s bilingual. Long-term, if you give a choice to immigrants of the language eventually, we will not speak French anymore,” said Legault, criticizing the Liberal Party’s opposition to the bill.
Dominique Anglade, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP), stated that Legault is divisive, citing Bill 96, Legault not going ahead with the expansion of Dawson College, and his refusal to debate in English.
Anglade said that the rising cost of living is the main question that Quebecers will be voting on.
“What type of leadership do you want? Do you want the kind that is telling you what to do, taking you for granted, that decides to do whatever they please, or do you want a leadership that is open, that listens and that’s going to bring everybody together,” said Anglade.
The QLP also released their platform. In it the QLP promises to: cut taxes of 1.5 per cent for those who make less than $92,000 annually, raise taxes by 2 per cent on those who make $300,000 or more per year, invest $100 billion so Quebec becomes carbon neutral by 2050, and invest $6 billion in the infrastructure of the health network, among other things.
They also promise to make changes to Bill 96, such as allowing students to choose the CEGEP of their choice, removing the six-month timeframe that immigrants have to communicate with the provincial government in English and removing the notwithstanding clause so aspects of the bill can be challenged in court.
You can read the entire liberal platform on the party’s website.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, spokesperson of Québec solidaire, said that despite Legault trying to make the election about language and immigration his party will focus on the housing crisis, the cost-of-living crisis and the environment.
Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon stated that Legault and the CAQ were in denial about their sovereigntist past. “In the history of Quebec and in the history of democracy have we seen people that are not honest with themselves come up with good public policies and with care for the population,” said St-Pierre Plamondon.
The Conservative Party of Quebec held a meeting in Beauce on Sunday. During his speech, Quebec Conserative Party leader Eric Duhaime, which currently only has one seat in the National Assembly, lauded the recent rapid growth in party membership, which currently sits at 59,000.
