For the leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), Dominique Anglade, it is the “inadmissible” remarks of the CAQ leader, François Legault, who keep her awake at night, and not the position occupied by her party in the polls.
“What prevents me from sleeping is seeing how much we are going into a wall, and that we have François Legault in front of us who continues to make comments that are inadmissible”, launches Mme Anglade in an editorial interview with The duty.
Energetic, and demanding chocolate, a food she loves, Dominique Anglade leads an electoral campaign “always on the offensive”, as at the beginning, she says, dressed in a royal blue suit. “There is a good level of energy, we are not running a chamomile campaign. »
The Liberal leader is categorical: we must unite and stop dividing the population. “When I say bringing together, I mean bringing everyone together: Francophones, Anglophones, allophones. We are all Quebecers at the end of the day. »
For an hour, she attacked François Legault, who is “always dividing Quebecers against each other”, according to her. “Immigrants against non-immigrants, violence, threat”, underlined the one who was leader of the official opposition at the time of the dissolution of the National Assembly.
About two weeks ago, the CAQ leader apologized, saying he did not want to associate immigration with violence. He had suggested that poor integration of immigrants could entail risks for the peaceful climate in Quebec.
Dominique Anglade refuses to give up, even if she has “seen the figures” of the last Léger poll. Released on Tuesday, it places the Liberals tied with Quebec solidaire and the Conservative Party of Quebec, with 16% of the voting intentions. The CAQ prances in the lead with 38% of support.
What emerges, according to the leader of the PLQ, is rather the percentage of Quebecers who “do not want François Legault”. “He is the prime minister. [sortant] […] And there are 62% of people who say: “This is not the prime minister I want to have.” »
Not to give up “
Dominique Anglade says she is “more discouraged than the day before” each time Mr. Legault makes a health announcement during the election campaign. Rather than adding “bureaucracy,” it is necessary to provide good patient care, she says.
Mme Anglade promises to offer, if she is brought to power, a family doctor to all Quebecers. “We can’t give up,” she said. To do this, it intends in particular to rely on the recognition of diplomas and to train more of these health professionals and better distribute them.
In access to family doctors, the PLQ wishes to give priority to the “most vulnerable”, that is, people living with chronic illnesses or a mental health disorder.
Moreover, “mental health should be equal to physical health” in terms of priority level, according to the politician. Thus, a Liberal government would establish a free public psychotherapy service whose costs would rise to $450 million by 2027. Up to 15 consultation sessions would be offered per year.
Mme Anglade deplores the “haemorrhage” experienced by the public system. In his opinion, the private sector must be used “where it is useful” in order to unclog the health network.
The leader of the PLQ wants to improve the conditions of workers, in particular by eventually eliminating overtime – called “compulsory overtime”. This is a recurring request from nurses. This measure would help attract more professionals to the health network, she believes.
“More powers” to the regions
To solve the labor shortage in Quebec, part of the solution is immigration, according to the PLQ. If it is brought to power, the formation would welcome 70,000 newcomers in the first year, then adjust the number according to the needs of the regions in the following years.
But to ensure that immigrants stay in the regions, “everyone must be involved,” she explains. “You’re not going to force someone who doesn’t want to stay somewhere to stay [là] “, argues the liberal leader.
Rather, the key is to create a welcoming environment where people feel more included, she says.
It is necessary to give “more powers to the regions” in terms of immigration, underlines Dominique Anglade. We need to sit down with elected officials and regional players so that they can define their needs, she says.
The labor shortage is a “huge brake” on Quebec’s economic growth, but it also “mortgages” the future “of our children”, laments Ms.me England. “I see my children going to school on a daily basis and I see my children living with a teacher falling in battle. »
Of the “way to go”
The leader stresses that in politics, but not only in this sector, there is still “some way to go” with regard to the place of women.
“I know it, as a woman, a mother of three children: the mental load, I live it, she says. I am able to compare it to that of my boyfriend, I am able to compare it to that of all the people I meet. »
The first woman at the head of the PLQ, who has held this position since May 2020, believes that “it is more difficult” for all working women, regardless of the function.
The role of women in society is too little addressed, according to her. “How many politicians have been talking about it today since the start of the campaign? […] Not that often,” she concludes.
On the eve of the elections, The duty has
invited leaders to sit at his editorial table to defend their party’s platform. They all accepted
our invitation except the head of the
Future Quebec Coalition, François
Legault, who officially declined it. The order of publication of the interviews was determined according to the availability of the party leaders. Dominique Anglade is the fourth to have participated in these editorial tables.