(Quebec) While the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) is initiating a resolutely greener turn to the left, the leader Dominique Anglade is promising 100 billion public and private investments in a green economy combining electricity and green hydrogen. Its “ECO project” could generate “two James Bay energy” in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
This is the first time that Dominique Anglade, crowned in the midst of a pandemic, has met her activists in person since she took the reins of the party. The members of the PLQ are gathered in congress all weekend in Quebec. After 18 months at the helm, the leader will seek to bring her color to a party that seeks to redefine itself by the elections of 2022.
The Liberal Party “is going through a moment of redefinition”, by its own admission.
The Liberals want to identify themselves as a more “progressive” party, but reject any rapprochement with the Quebec solidaire proposals. “We are not a pale copy of anyone,” said Mme Anglade in front of the media. Québec solidaire is an opponent with “fairly radical ideas” and “the CAQ is the last century,” she summarized.
Despite her ambitions for change, the new boss wants to reconnect with the liberal recipe of “major social projects”, such as Jean Charest’s Plan Nord or the construction of James Bay under Robert Bourassa. That of Dominique Anglade will be the “ECO project”, which could generate investments of 100 billion (public and private) by 2050. She did not want to specify what part would come from the private sector.
“ECO”, whose name evokes ecology and the economy, will combine the nationalization of green hydrogen and the increase in the production of renewable electricity, such as hydropower, to support the development of this new sector and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Press revealed on Friday that a possible Liberal government would nationalize green hydrogen.
Twice James Bay
“If we add the electrification of the economy and the development of green hydrogen, we will have two energy James Bay to build by 2050”, launched Dominique Anglade in front of reinvigorated activists.
Without speaking of new hydroelectric dams, she affirmed that Quebec should “set out again to conquer the cleanest and most profitable renewable energy, whether hydroelectric, wind or solar, in order to meet our needs”. We know that Hydro-Quebec’s surpluses could disappear by 2027.
“Dams are another time,” she said in the press. “We will have to be extremely creative in terms of innovation in the field of wind power, solar power and in the field of energy saving as well, this is an extremely important pillar of what is happening. is coming, ”she added.
A future Liberal government would commit to reducing “energy waste” by two-thirds within 10 years. “This is a reduction of nearly 10% in the energy bill […] This target is the equivalent of the energy of twice the La Romaine complex to be transformed into wealth, ”she argued.
An ambitious project – this is also the theme of the congress – which seemed to appeal to activists. “A social project like that, […] it affects everyone, it’s our future, ”said Beauce activist Line Gilbert. She believes that a marked environmental shift is necessary and essential.
Éli Chevrier, from the Magdalen Islands, has been an activist for over 20 years. He experiences the effect of climate change on a daily basis. “It’s a great project for the future, it’s a solution that seems realistic […] We are very affected [par les changements climatiques] in our small territory, so [ce nouveau projet] is a big part of the solution for us, for sure, ”he explained.
The some 800 activists gathered this weekend in Quebec will debate this Saturday many proposals grouped around four axes:
- environment and climate change
- citizen services
- modernization of agriculture
- labor shortage and economic progress
A large place is given to environmental proposals. Activists will vote in particular to achieve a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions higher than that of the Legault government, set at 37.5% by 2030.
The veterans of the liberal parliamentary wing met on the sidelines of the congress all said they were ready to embrace the more progressive and green change that Dominique Anglade wants to make.
“The Liberal Party has always been the party of its time, and the time of today […] it’s the environment, ”said Liberal MP Carlos Leitão. “I am a progressive person and someone who is in the lineage of the Liberals. The environment is fundamental, it will be the ninth value of our political formation, it was time to do it. I do not see how the militants can be against that, for his part indicated the president of the caucus, Pierre Arcand.