(Quebec) In a barely veiled message on Tuesday, François Legault warned his deputies, at the time of their swearing in, that he does not tolerate chicanery in his troops. The leader of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), whose party elected 90 deputies in the October 3 election, praised the merits of unity.
Posted at 5:19 p.m.
Sometimes moved in his speech in the Red Room of the Parliament Building, indicating that one does not get used to frequenting such a historically charged place, Mr. Legault underlined the talents gathered within the CAQ parliamentary wing, saying that “it’s intimidating, it’s almost embarrassing to see all these people who have worked in the same team”.
But to these elected officials (63 of them are not in their first term, while 27 are taking their first steps in Quebec City on Tuesday), François Legault told them that there is only one place to express their disagreement, s they have over the next four years: in private, in caucus.
“It’s not yesterday, it was like that at Air Transat and everywhere I went. I do not tolerate that there is chicanery in the family, “said the head of the CAQ.
“In private, in caucus, we can tell each other anything, but when we leave the caucus, we are a united block, impossible to cross,” he added.
Governing for all Quebecers
In his speech, when the Salon Rouge was packed, François Legault promised that his government would work for all Quebecers, including those who did not vote for them. The CAQ won 90 seats in Parliament on October 3, garnering 41% of the popular vote. The Liberals, who form the Official Opposition with 21 MNAs, obtained 14.4% of the votes, while Québec solidaire elected 11 MNAs (with 15.4% of the votes) and the Parti Québécois, three MNAs (14, 6% of votes). The Conservative Party of Quebec has no elected, even if nearly 13% of voters voted for the political formation of Éric Duhaime.
Mr. Legault underlined on Tuesday the number of women elected to Parliament and welcomed the election in the riding of Duplessis of Kateri Champagne Jourdain, the first aboriginal deputy, originally from the Innu community of Uashat Mak Mani-utenam of the North Shore. The latter took her oath in French and in the Innu-Aimun language.
PHOTO JACQUES BOISSINOT, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Premier François Lgault, MNA for Duplessis, Kateri Champagne, and Secretary General of the National Assembly, Siegfried Peters.
François Legault will return to the Salon Rouge on Thursday to swear in the new Council of Ministers. This is a delicate challenge for the Prime Minister of the CAQ, who has a large number of deputies, several of whom can hope to obtain a post of minister, but a limited number of ministries.
In fact, this balancing act – where everyone’s skills, regional representation, gender parity and diversity, among others – must be taken into consideration – will be scrutinized by political observers and CAQ MPs. themselves. Hence the call for unity on Tuesday, and this reminder from Mr. Legault that he “does not tolerate chicanery”.