Québec solidaire suspects the Parti Québécois of courting the anti-tramway vote in Jean-Talon, which the PQ trio denies, by confirming its support for the Quebec City project.
Joël Arseneau, Pascal Bérubé and Paul St-Pierre Plamondon finally voted, Thursday, in favor of a motion concocted by QS, then amended by the CAQ, stipulating that the National Assembly “reiterates its support for the current project of tram.”
The four parties represented at the Salon Bleu unanimously adopted this motion, which also recalls “that municipalities are autonomous with regard to the planning and implementation of public transportation projects.”
SCREENSHOT – NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF QUEBEC
Strategy
The strategy initiated by solidarity MP Étienne Grandmont probably aimed to push the Parti Québécois to its limits on the issue, since Paul St-Pierre Plamondon insisted that the government reveal the cost of the tramway before the October 2 by-election.
The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault, however, refuses to do so, essentially insisting that it is up to the mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, to present an update of the costs following his own schedule, since This is the Quebec City project.
“The Parti Québécois seems to want to sow doubt in people’s minds,” said Mr. Grandmont, before the PQ announced that it would support its motion as amended by the government.
“It looks like they no longer agree with the tram project. Honestly, I’m very worried. This is a project that we need and I ask the Parti Québécois to clarify its position. Is he for or against the tram project,” raised the supportive MP for Taschereau. The PQ was also conspicuous by its absence on Wednesday during the debate at the Salon Bleu on this issue, he underlined.
The PQ proposed an improved tramway
But in turn, in front of the parliamentary press, the PQ transport spokesperson, Joël Arseneau, assured that his party “has always been for a structuring transport system” in Quebec. He nevertheless calls for more transparency for Jean-Talon’s voters.
“I think people want to have information [sur les coûts et le tracé du tramway]. Then what we want is for the government to disclose it,” insisted Mr. Arseneau.
The MP for Îles-de-la-Madeleine also confirmed that the PQ still believes in the transportation plan it presented in the last general election, which included a Quebec–Lévis tunnel where a $4 to $5 billion light train would run. , in addition to an improved (but not costed) version of the tramway project, in two phases, to Charlesbourg.