Dominique Anglade does not spare his attacks on François Legault, accusing him of “knowingly cultivating distrust” of the other in the debate on immigration. Its star candidate Mathieu Gratton goes further by recognizing “attributes” of the definition of “narcissistic manipulator” in the Prime Minister.
Posted at 7:12 p.m.
“When he is telling us that there is a threat to the Quebec nation, he knowingly cultivates it, he divides Quebecers,” said Ms.me Anglade on Saturday when some 400 activists gathered in General Council in Montreal. “He wants to pit Quebecers against each other,” she added.
Dominique Anglade echoed her closing speech in which she defined herself as the option of “trust as opposed to distrust”.
“In this upcoming campaign […] we are going to be listening in opposition to arrogance, we are going to be generosity in opposition to withdrawal, we are going to be the economy of 21e century in opposition to that of Maurice Duplessis”, she launched in front of her members, flanked by her deputies and recruits from the electoral campaign.
His candidate in Laporte, humorist and author Mathieu Gratton even attached certain traits of the personality of “narcissistic manipulator” to François Legault during a plenary session. The newcomer to politics then clarified his thinking by explaining that he “did not start this for free” and that he had conducted research on this definition.
“I went to do this research and that’s the reason why I’m in politics today, it’s because I’m not comfortable […] with what [M. Legault] represents at the level of the pride of Quebec”, he explained, specifying in passing that he had voted for the CAQ in 2018.
“I went to several sources, there were several elements. […] In the case that I read yesterday, it was written: isolate to better reign. It can be about a relationship, it can be about a people. It also spoke of a manipulative charm, which François Legault in my opinion possesses very well, ”he said.
Words that the liberal leader did not want to repeat. “He certainly manipulates the numbers. The term I would use is definitely arrogant and divisive,” she summed up to describe her opponent before adding: “You know, we have people who are very authentic in the candidates, who present their perspective and I’ll let them describe it”.
Dominique Anglade accuses François Legault of wanting to divide Quebecers on the question of immigration when he affirmed in the National Council that obtaining all the powers in immigration was at stake for the “survival” of the Quebec nation.
“The CAQ reduces the nation to an us that excludes, to an us that makes newcomers a problem. To a us that makes diversity a weakness and not a strength. Do you know what we call that? We call it the old policy of the scapegoat, of withdrawal and closure, ”she said in her speech.
Promise of tax cuts
François Legault will not be the only one who wants to put money back in the wallets of Quebecers. Dominique Anglade, who unveiled her electoral platform on Saturday, promises a tax cut for taxpayers who earn less than $92,000 a year. A measure that would cost the state $2 billion a year.
This will be a tax reduction of 1.5% for the first two tax brackets ($46,295 and less, and between $46,295 and $92,580). A decrease that could reduce the tax burden of a taxpayer up to $ 1,000 per year, according to the Liberals. Those who earn more than $300,000 a year would see their taxes increase by 2%.
Mme Anglade spoke of a measure “which is not short-term”, shooting an arrow at the prime minister who promised Quebecers a new check for $500 after the election. Still, François Legault also telegraphed a promise of a tax cut.
Former Finance Minister Carlos Leitão assured that this measure will not be accompanied by austerity policies. He estimated before the Girard budget was tabled in March that it was nevertheless inconceivable to lower taxes in the short term. The context has since changed, he said on Saturday. “First, the pandemic is really under control,” qualified the deputy for Robert-Baldwin.
He also notes that the inflationary situation necessarily leads to an increase in state revenues and that the 2022 pre-election report, which will be tabled next August, should reveal a “very, very significant” cushion.
The Ministry of Finance forecast a structural deficit of 6.5 billion this year and it finally shrunk by half to reach 2.8 billion. Quebec is therefore two years ahead of its schedule for returning to balanced budgets, but Minister Eric Girard still believes that it will be achieved by 2027-2028.
The Liberals would maintain the achievement of a balanced budget within seven years to finance their promise of tax cuts.
Anglade would keep the French lessons
Despite strong criticism, Dominique Anglade would not ignore the obligation for students in English-speaking CEGEPs to pass three additional French courses. This provision of the new law 96 on the protection of French “would remain”, she said on Saturday. “That said, we’re going to work with the whole community to make sure everyone feels like they belong. However, she is already promising to reopen the law to remove “dividing” articles such as eliminating the six-month period imposed on newcomers to communicate in French and the use of the derogation clause.