If he believes he must compensate companies engaged on the path of hydrocarbons when Quebec leaves gas and oil, François Legault wants to give “the least possible compensation to companies. “
This is what the Prime Minister said on Friday, during a press briefing at the end of the parliamentary session, at the National Assembly. Until now, the elected Caquist had contented himself with saying that he was “ready to put financial and legal resources”, without specifying how high.
On Thursday, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Jonatan Julien, told the Duty that he would take longer than expected to table his bill supposed to put an end to exploration for hydrocarbons in Quebec. ” The complexity [des indemnisations] required scenario and impact analyzes, ”he said in the halls of parliament.
Since Quebec announced its desire to get rid of oil, some opposition politicians have urged the government to put an end to any compensation to the companies involved.
“Quebec is not a republic of bananas,” François Legault repeated on Friday. There are companies that have invested with existing laws and regulations. We have to make sure it’s done correctly. “
In the energy sector, the new avenue in Quebec is worrying.
Asked Thursday, the president of the Quebec Energy Association (AEQ), Éric Tétrault, said that “buying back shares constitutes a dangerous precedent”.
“Quebec risks alienating itself for good from major trading partners like Alberta,” he had said.
For the moment, the CAQ government has not assessed how much the release of hydrocarbons would cost. Minister Julien assures us that his new legislative text will clarify the situation. “We are on the verge of being able to drop it off. Quickly when the holidays return, ”he said on Thursday.