Provincial elections | Large crowd at the launch of Éric Duhaime’s campaign

Many galvanized supporters cheered the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) on Sunday during the official launch of his election campaign in the Capitale-Nationale region. Éric Duhaime, who is trying to get his first candidates elected, himself seemed surprised by the size of this pre-election rally.

Mylene Crete
The Press

“Unfortunately, there are still too many of us. I don’t know where we’re going to have to meet next, but it’s mind-blowing,” he exclaimed.

“We are not used to having as many people as that”, had pointed out the candidate in Iberville and actress Anne Casabonne a little earlier. “Next time, we will ask for the Videotron Center or the Bell Centre! »

At least 800 people were crammed into the hall of the Complexe Capitale Hélicoptère de Québec, where the PCQ unveiled its election campaign coach, adorned with the leader’s large format photo. The room was packed, and no one was seen wearing a mask. Mr. Duhaime generously distributed handshakes, hugs and kisses to the ladies present. The organizers even had to refuse entry to activists.

He directed all his attacks towards François Legault, leader of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), completely ignoring the leaders of the other parties. The Prime Minister was reduced to a “vulgar leader of the CAQ, ultra-partisan”, who never “risen to the height of Premier of Quebec”. The latter preferred not to react on Sunday.

Mr. Duhaime intends to take advantage of every day of the campaign to cut to pieces the balance sheet of the Legault government. “We have to rally the people who want to get rid of François Legault. We have to show that we are the alternative, ”commented the conservative leader, in a press scrum.

“Breaking the taboo”

Even if the population, traditionally, tends to stay in the center of the political spectrum, he says he is convinced that the voters are ready to follow him and adhere to his right-wing program which, in particular, plans to make a large place for the private sector.

“We’ve been going around in circles in health care for 40 years and the system is still just as inefficient,” he said. […] The public monopoly does not work. He proposes to create competition within the public plan to do “what no politician has had the courage to do”, that is to say “break the taboo” of private health care.

“We are going to do it,” he said.

Éric Duhaime also promises “substantial tax cuts”, the suspension of the gas tax, the exploitation of hydrocarbons “responsibly”, the abandonment of the tramway project in Quebec and the revision of the mode of financing. daycare services.

“We want to be free at home, that’s the real issue of the election which is starting”,
he said, using his party’s slogan and triggering a new round of applause.

Many candidates were there. The PCQ has appointed 120 out of 125 so far. This campaign launch comes a week after the unveiling of his electoral platform entitled Freedom 22 and centered on six themes: the economy, housing, health, transport, the environment, as well as the family and education.

The pre-election campaign has been underway in Quebec for quite some time now because of the fixed-date poll. Citizens will be called to ballot on October 3 to choose the 125 deputies of the National Assembly. The kick-off of the electoral campaign, by Prime Minister François Legault, is expected on Sunday August 28, or the next day, Monday 29, the final day to respect the deadline set by law for an election on October 3.

Éric Duhaime’s PCQ, which has never had a deputy elected, is trying to make a breakthrough, particularly in the regions of Quebec and Chaudière-Appalaches.

With The Canadian Press