Liberal leader Dominique Anglade said Monday that the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) is not racist or xenophobic, contrary to what one of its candidates said earlier this year.
Ms. Anglade rejected the CAQ’s apologies for the emails written by Claude Vadeboncoeur, who wears the colors of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) in Brome-Missisquoi.
“This is not how I would define the CAQ, I would define it as a divisive party,” she said during a press briefing. Mr. Vadeboncoeur has already said that he had gone too far, he had already mentioned it, so I think the subject is closed. »
It was not possible to know in what context Mr. Vadeboncoeur made this admission. When asked about it by The dutySunday, he had not denied his remarks, transmitted in anger in December 2021 to his caquist opponent, the Minister for Education and responsible for the Status of Women, Isabelle Charest.
The Minister of Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, estimated Monday that Mr. Vadeboncoeur insulted Quebecers. “’Because I was very angry’ is never a good excuse, reacted Mr. Jolin-Barrette on Monday. The Quebec nation is an example of openness and hospitality. The PLQ candidate insulted Quebecers. Will Dominique Anglade ask him to withdraw his remarks and apologize? »
“Because I was very angry _ is never a good excuse. The Quebec nation is an example of openness and hospitality. The PLQ candidate insulted Quebecers. @DomAnglade will she ask him to withdraw his remarks and apologize? https://t.co/FJeJ1xJrR0
— Simon Jolin-Barrette (@SJB_CAQ) August 29, 2022
The duty revealed Sunday that Mr. Vadeboncoeur had, under the influence of anger, poured out in an email sent to Ms. Charest.
Tax measures
Ms. Anglade continued her economy-themed campaign on Monday, promising inflation-fighting measures that could cost a family with two children an average of $5,000.
After announcing tax cuts in recent months, a freeze on Hydro-Québec rates and a QST credit on electricity bills and basic necessities, the Liberals added to their commitments on Monday morning an increase of up to $325 in the solidarity credit for the most disadvantaged.
The PLQ specified that other measures will be unveiled during the campaign to arrive at this amount of $5,000.
In a press briefing, Ms. Anglade specified that this average amount of $5,000 will be recurrent, to fight against inflation.
“We understood the importance of giving back the means to each Quebec family, $5,000 for each Quebec family,” she said. The intention is very clear. And there will be other announcements that will be made to reinforce this flagship measure. »
Temporary freeze of Hydro-Québec rates
The duration of the Hydro-Québec rate freeze has not been specified, but it will be temporary, the time to find another formula for their indexation to inflation decided by the CAQ.
“We can’t freeze forever, but we will freeze for a period that will allow us to review the way it’s done and depoliticize the way it’s done,” she said.
The PLQ estimates that the total value of its tax measures, the portrait of which is incomplete for the moment, will amount to $3.8 billion.
“We don’t want it to be Quebecers who go into debt, versus the government,” she said. What we want is for Quebecers to stop going into debt and for them to have better purchasing power. »
Ms. Anglade’s tax breaks will be funded by tax hikes for “very rich” taxpayers, those with incomes of $300,000 or more.
Economic team
For a second consecutive day, Ms. Anglade campaigned on the theme of the economy without any member of her economic team at her side. The Liberal leader had to defend herself from seeing her ranks thinned out, in particular with the announced departure of former finance minister Carlos Leitão, the last representative of the Couillard government’s economic team.
“We have in no way lost this title [de parti de l’économie]on the contrary, ”she said, arguing for candidates that she associates with economic profiles.
After recalling that she had been Minister of the Economy, Ms. Anglade specified that the members of her team will appear in the next economic announcements of the PLQ.
Further details will follow.