Since the arrival of the CAQ in government, power has slowly but surely shifted towards the south shore in Quebec, with a regional vision that has taken an important step following the appointments of the new Council of Ministers.
With the appointments of Martine Biron and Bernard Drainville, the south shore gets two government heavyweights, International Relations and La Francophonie, and Education, compared to only one for the north shore, Transport and Sustainable Mobility .
The MP for Lévis was even entrusted with what François Legault identified yesterday as THE top priority of his government.
On the north shore, Geneviève Guilbault, who remains Deputy Premier, inherits the important file of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. This will make her the great defender of a project that has always been supported by the elected officials of the south shore.
Rise in the debates
Ironically, Ms. Guilbault’s new functions, which she said she wanted to leave, will mean that she has never been so much minister responsible for the region. The tramway and the third link have in fact overshadowed almost all discussions on regional issues in recent years.
In this new role, the one who aspires to leadership would however benefit from rising above the fray. She knew how to do it very well as Minister of Public Security, but not as responsible for the region.
Its interventions in the tramway file have in fact embarrassed the government on many occasions. She did not look good in the face of Mayor Bruno Marchand, defender of municipal skills who knew how to rally the mayors of the big cities to his cause.
With regard to the third link, Ms. Guilbault has never been able to convince the mayor of Quebec. She was talking yesterday about a communication challenge for this project, and she’s not wrong. But much more will be needed, with data and studies demonstrating the need and necessity.
New Minister responsible for the region and also for Infrastructure, Jonatan Julien, for his part, is given the challenge of restoring bridges with Quebec. He could well establish himself as the ” good friend for the region, which has been sorely lacking for four years.
Revealing contrast
The contrast was also very revealing, yesterday, between the reactions of Gilles Lehouillier, who exulted in the Red Room of the National Assembly, and Bruno Marchand who was much more reserved.
The mayor of Lévis spoke of the strike force, of a strong signal and of Quebec, which now stands out as a hub within this government. The mayor of Quebec was much more nuanced. He calls for data and studies on the tunnel, and claims that a Minister of Transport of our time can only support the tramway. However, it does not have any guarantees.
At least the government resisted the urge to set a precedent by appointing an elected official from the southern shore as responsible for the greater region.
The caquistes want to make the region a second metropolis, a title that no one wants in Quebec, more than proud to be a national capital. But they should nevertheless know that this cannot be done by pounding on the north shore, as has too often been the case since 2018.