(Gatineau) Marwah Rizqy raises her eyebrows when asked what she will say to her new opposite number Christine Fréchette at the opening of the study of the energy reform that Pierre Fitzgibbon was supposed to lead. A rebel, she instead challenges François Legault to dare to appear before her to defend what is becoming his bill, he who “made the decision to make” the superminister resign.
At the close of the pre-sessional caucus of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) in Gatineau, this representative sent by the member for the Saint-Laurent riding marked the press briefing of the official opposition, which otherwise wanted to position itself as the only true party of the economy.
In response to a question addressed to him concerning the current Minister of Immigration Christine Fréchette, who will inherit the functions abandoned by Mr. Fitzgibbon this Thursday, Ms.me Rizqy instead attacked the prime minister, who has already said that he would be personally involved in the success of this reform.
“My message is to Mr. Legault, because he did say that he would have both hands in the energy file. I don’t know if he will have the courage to appear before the committee [parlementaire]since it is his project, it is he who made the decision to make Mr. Fitzgibbon resign. I have expectations of [le premier ministre] ” she said.
“Will Mr. Legault come and explain to Quebecers why we went from energy surpluses to energy deficits? Will Mr. Legault explain to all Quebec businesses why he said no to their expansion, why he refused energy blocks to Quebec businesses to say yes to foreign businesses, at a discount, on the backs of SMEs and on the backs of taxpayers?” the MP continued.
Wednesday, Mme Rizqy also said that Fitzgibbon’s sudden departure was due to differences of opinion between the resigning politician and the prime minister, who promised to freeze electricity rates at 3%. The Liberals are demanding that the government explain who will fund the long-term freeze, although they have not said exactly what they would do if they were in power.
A smell of “end of diet”
For interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay, there is no doubt that François Legault’s government now reeks of the “end of a regime.”
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
The interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Marc Tanguay.
“François Legault has reached the end of his logic of accusations, of saying that it is not [sa] mistake. […] “At some point, he’s going to have to come face to face with something that looks like a mirror,” he thundered on Thursday, assuring that his party embodies a “government in waiting” despite its poor results in the polls.
After nearly six years in power, the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) has failed to improve public services, while accumulating deficit budgets. For the Liberals, who last spring praised the “budgetary rigour” of the Couillard years, it is time to tackle the sound management of public finances in Quebec.
In this context, where would a Liberal government cut to balance the budget? Marc Tanguay avoids the question, assuring that his party would succeed in increasing the revenue column, even if its plan to do so has still not been announced.
“The fight against waste, you will hear us a lot about that. […] People are right to consider that they are not getting value for their money. We send money to Quebec through our taxes. What is François Legault doing with that? A lot of waste and the services are not there,” said Mr. Tanguay.
With Pierre Fitzgibbon’s departure from political life, the government will have to call a by-election in the riding of Terrebonne, in the Lanaudière region, within six months. Already, the leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ), Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, has his eyes fixed on this former PQ stronghold. He has also changed his pre-sessional caucus schedule, which was taking place in Abitibi, to go there this Thursday.
Are the Liberals planning to campaign so intensely to create a surprise?
“We approach every election saying we want to win it, [mais] “You know our history in Terrebonne and we are realistic,” replied Mr. Tanguay. During the last election, the PLQ finished in fourth position in this riding, collecting a meager 10% of the votes.