Prime Minister François Legault invited not to give in to dogmatism in the debates that will lead to reconciling economic prosperity and the environment.
Mr. Legault praised Quebec’s greenhouse gas emissions record. He pointed out that it is much lower than that of the United States or the Canadian average.
In his opening speech, he recalled that it will be necessary to add 100 TWh to Hydro-Québec’s capacity to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Mr. Legault explained that the current challenge is to reconcile prosperity and the environment.
“You have to be ambitious, but without being dogmatic,” he said. […] That doesn’t mean we don’t have ambition, we want to stay the best. »
After a hectic parliamentary return day in Quebec City on Tuesday, Mr. Legault delivered his inaugural speech in the National Assembly. This Wednesday therefore corresponds to the first day, out of eight, of the present parliamentary session.
The Prime Minister had hinted that he would make the decline of French and immigration the main themes of his inaugural speech. On Tuesday, he also said he wanted immigrants selected by Quebec to be 100% French-speaking and wanted to achieve this goal by 2026.
It must also specify its intentions on the energy transition front. By announcing the formation of his Council of Ministers at the end of October, Premier Legault set himself the objective of making Quebec “the place where we are the first” for the reduction and elimination of greenhouse gases. tight.
“It will be important in the next four years, to accelerate the energy transition, we will decarbonize Quebec”, he had sketched.
Fighting inflation, however, has emerged as the government’s most pressing objective so far. An economic update scheduled for next week will dedicate $400 to $600 checks being sent to taxpayers earning less than $100,000.
A bill to cap utility rates is also due soon.
Mr. Legault delivers his third opening speech on Wednesday, his second in 14 months. In October 2021, the Prime Minister wanted to mark the end of the pandemic by presenting an update of the orientations set out at the start of his first mandate, in 2018.
Parliamentary proceedings will be adjourned on December 9 until February 1.
Further details will follow.