Fearing “losing Quebec definitively” after his crushing defeat in Jean-Talon, François Legault caused a surprise by breathing new life into his abandoned promise of a third road link, on which he wants the population to express themselves, within the framework of a consultation.
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“Listen, I had a message yesterday, I take note of it with lucidity, with humility,” declared the CAQ leader from the outset, presenting himself in front of journalists before going to the Salon Bleu, Tuesday after -noon.
In his eyes, his defeat in Jean-Talon, with half as many votes as the Parti Québécois, is mainly explained by the abandonment of the road component of the Quebec-Lévis tunnel project last April.
Questioning
“Whether we are for or against the third highway link, there are several people in the greater Quebec region who felt that we were not respecting our promise concerning this third link,” analyzed Mr. Legault .
“So we have to question ourselves and we have to listen to the citizens of Quebec,” he added.
Recalling that it was in the National Capital that his party elected its first deputies, “there is no question of losing Quebec definitively,” noted Mr. Legault.
“So I will work very hard with my colleagues, with the deputies, with the entire CAQ team to regain the trust of the people of the greater Quebec region,” he continued.
For the CAQ leader, “rebuilding the bond of trust” with the population must involve extensive consultation.
The ball in the citizens’ court
“I want to listen to the population regarding the third link, to see what is proposed by the population, because it is clear that it has hurt us very much, this decision to abandon it,” said Mr. Legault, without specifying the form that this consultation will take.
Pressed with questions by journalists, “for the moment, the ball is sort of in the citizens’ court,” the Prime Minister said.
“First, I have a lot of deputies and on the North Shore [sic] and on the South Shore. So the first step will really be to consult my caucus in Quebec and then Chaudière-Appalaches,” he indicated.
According to information gleaned by our Parliamentary Office, the elected representatives of the CAQ caucus of Quebec were gathered in a room a few minutes before entering the Blue Room, after the surprise exit of the Prime Minister. Questioned by the parliamentary press, other CAQ elected officials were visibly surprised by this change of heart. “We are going to let the Prime Minister manage his caucus. […] I didn’t hear that one,” admitted Superminister Pierre Fitzgibbon.
Remember that it is on the basis of the most recent data compiled by experts that the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, relied on burying the road component of the third link project last spring.
The Prime Minister, who seemed to have made his nest since the spring by focusing on a dedicated project solely dedicated to public transport, repeated that he must now “listen to the population”.
But on the other hand, “the citizens yesterday voted for the PQ which is against the third link,” observed Mr. Legault, leaving the door open to all kinds of interpretations.
What they said:
“Listen, I got a message yesterday. I take note of this with lucidity, with humility. Then, I’m going to go back in front of the population to say: what can I do to get more of your support? »
– François Legault, Prime Minister
“I’m honestly searching for words to describe the level of improvisation. I think it lacks respect for people’s intelligence. People were sold this project during two elections in a row. […] What I hope is that by 2026, we will have turned the page on the third link. »
– Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire
“You can’t say one thing and its opposite constantly, it’s difficult to follow. […] It’s minimally improvisation. »
– Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois
“I think he’s ready to say anything. And he does it. »
– Pascal Bérubé, PQ MP for Matane–Matapédia
“Yesterday’s result couldn’t be clearer. We say: the bond of trust is shaken, then mobility issues are at the heart of that. We must consult citizens. Then the third link is part of these consultations. »
– Jonatan Julien, minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region
“We have always had discussions to improve mobility between Quebec and Lévis. […] We must find a solution to improve mobility between Quebec and Lévis, because the two bridges are aging. »
– Samuel Poulin, CAQ MP for Beauce-Sud
“Everyone needs to take a deep breath. […] It’s still quite surprising, the only party [le Parti conservateur du Québec] which proposed a third link [routier] came fifth [dans Jean-Talon]. »
– Sol Zanetti, deputy in solidarity with Jean-Lesage