Prime Minister François Legault accused Quebec solidaire of throwing “mud” by opposing any public funding for the construction of a baseball stadium in Montreal.
Mr. Legault responded vigorously to parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, who denounced in the House “the saga of stadiums paid for by public funds”.
“The leader of Quebec solidaire tells us that he wants to make new politics, that he wants to make it modern,” replied the Prime Minister. I’ve never seen it, mud like that. “
At the same time, Mr. Legault first ruled out any financial participation by the government in the project of businessman Stephen Bronfman, who wants to bring major league baseball to Montreal. “There is no question of our government putting a penny from the taxpayers in there,” he said, while criticizing the tone of Mr. Nadeau-Dubois in the House and on social networks.
Then, Mr. Legault finally qualified his answer about a possible return of Expos. “If ever there is a baseball stadium, it will not cost Quebec taxpayers a penny,” said the Prime Minister. Ultimately, the benefits could possibly justify a loan.
In the corridors of parliament, after this exchange during question period, the Minister of the Economy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, also recalled that his government is open to projects like that of Mr. Bronfman insofar as the economic fallout are at the rendezvous. “The economic project is that of a baseball team and we look at this project like any other project,” said the Minister.
Mr. Fitzgibbon himself raised the possibility of granting loans that could turn into a grant on condition that the spinoffs are present. “The beauty of that is that if you don’t honor your commitments, you owe me money,” said the minister.
Paradise Papers
In his exchange with Mr. Legault, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois advised the government against supporting the project because of the roadmap of its promoter. “The Bronfman family, they are billionaires, they are one of the richest in Canada,” he said. And then Stephen Bronfman was directly targeted by the Paradise Papers, the tax avoidance scandal. Quite frankly, I do not think that this gentleman needs the financial assistance of Quebec taxpayers. “
In March, Mr. Legault had already indicated that he was in favor of a loan that could be transformed into a subsidy – a “forgivable loan” – if the tax revenues generated by a company setting up a baseball team are greater. than the amount paid by the State.
Mr. Bronfman’s group is asking the Quebec government for a financial contribution of up to a few hundred million dollars for its approximately $ 1 billion project which includes the construction of a new baseball stadium in Peel Basin, reported at the start of the week La Presse.
Mr. Bronfman’s project could lead to a sharing with Montreal of the activities of the Tampa Bay Rays team.
After admitting that he was responsible for the baseball file in Montreal on Tuesday, Mr. Fitzgibbon said he was also interested in the team project of the National Hockey League in Quebec, which is supported by the minister of Finances Éric Girard. “I am not the minister of baseball, I am the minister of all things economics,” he said.
Mr. Fitzgibbon also questioned the fallout from the funding of 400 million public funds invested in the construction of the Quebec City amphitheater, inaugurated in 2015. “There was not sufficient fallout to justify [les] 400 million, ”he said, presuming that the absence of a professional team had a negative impact.