The first leaders’ debate quickly turned to the theme of the environment. But did the sometimes chaotic exchanges allow the 1.5 million viewers present to clearly understand the proposals of each of the parties?
The co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, let himself be won over by a sweet euphoria, Thursday evening, after leaving the theater of the Head-to-head Quebec 2022 of the TVA network.
“Two hours of debating on your feet, it’s hard not to have adrenaline! he said during a press briefing.
“GND” had set itself the task of “imposing the subject of the environment and the fight against climate change” during its discussions with the four other aspiring prime ministers: François Legault (Coalition avenir Québec), Dominique Anglade (Parti Quebec Liberal), Paul St-Pierre Plamondon (Parti Québécois) and Éric Duhaime (Conservative Party of Quebec).
In his eyes, he made it. “We talked a lot about the environment, a lot about climate change. […] Don’t get me wrong, it’s not just because of me, it’s mainly because it’s a concern that more and more people have in Quebec, ”he said.
For 39% of voters, the theme of “the environment, the economy and the quality of life” — which opened the discussion — was “the most important”, according to a Léger-Montreal Journal-TVA-QUB. By comparison, the third block on “immigration, identity and language” was “the most important” according to barely 9% of voters.
Upon his arrival at TVA headquarters, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois ran towards climate demonstrators, including one wearing a mortarboard and a gas mask, gathered on the other side of Maisonneuve Street. He pledged “to spend all [ses] decisions under the magnifying glass of the climate crisis”. Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon and Mr.me Anglade had done the same before walking the red carpet rolled out in front of the entrance to the station.
8 p.m. Journalist Pierre Bruneau kicked off the Face to face by referring to the arsenic emissions from the Horne smelter, then by asking Mr. Legault: “Should we first protect businesses or people’s health? »
Climate Action Network Canada’s National Policy Director, Caroline Brouillette, stopped her clock at 18 minutes. “Out of two hours, 15% is allocated to the discussion of climate policies during the Face to face. In 2022, this is clearly insufficient, ”she tweeted.
The head of the Climate-Energy campaign at Greenpeace Canada, Patrick Bonin, was sorry to see in particular the themes of biodiversity, waste management and adaptation to climate change being swept under the carpet. “It’s an exercise that has remained far too superficial given the scale of the issues. It was also a bit cacophonous. I really don’t think people have been able to make up their minds about what the parties are really proposing,” he says, while recalling the “obligation to cut global GHG emissions by half in the next eight years.
GND euphoric, Legault disappointed
After the Face to face, François Legault for his part admitted having missed a great opportunity to demonstrate in front of 1.5 million viewers that the solidarity, PQ and Liberal greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction plans would come up against two detailed obstacles: a lack of of hydroelectricity, a shortage of construction workers, even if they strike out the project to build a third Quebec-Lévis road link from the Quebec Infrastructure Plan (PQI). “It’s important that Quebecers understand that, because we would all like to go faster, me first,” he argued on Friday.
In front of dozens of CAQ employees, Mr. Legault testified to the difficulty of getting his message across on a television set where five political party leaders are vying for public attention. “It’s not easy to present ideas when you’re attacked by four bosses. »
The CAQ leader “hopes” to have “a little more time” to present his “ideas” to reduce GHGs by 37.5% by 2030, and 100% by 2050 during the next debate of the chiefs next Thursday.
To achieve carbon neutrality over the next 25 or 30 years, Hydro-Québec will have to produce some 100 additional terawatt hours, thanks in particular to new hydroelectric dams. “It does not work, just energy efficiency and wind power,” assured Mr. Legault, asking where the other political parties would draw the electricity necessary for the accelerated energy transition they are proposing. “Do they want nuclear? he asked.
“At some point, you have to be realistic there,” he said.
Even if they could be a little clearer on how certain additional electricity needs would be met, the 2022-2030 plans of QS and the PQ are “realistic”, even “solid”, retorts Patrick Bonin of Greenpeace Canada. “It’s not 100 terawatt hours that we need in 2030,” he points out.
For its part, the political party of François Legault has not presented a “new climate plan” to the electorate, he laments. “I even find it audacious on his part to claim to want to dismantle the plans of others, when he has not deigned to present any measures other than that of sending an email to Hydro-Québec to request an assessment of the possibilities of additional dams that will not lead to any reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030,” he argues.
For Patrick Bonin, the fight against climate change is a matter of will. If François Legault wants it, he can launch “a huge pan-Quebec project of energy efficiency, energy saving, energy sobriety, and a profound change of culture through education, incentives… and constraints”, pleads- he.
Mr. Legault can also “further constrain the industrial sector, which is responsible for 29% of emissions in Quebec [à s’éloigner des énergies sales] by strengthening the carbon market, something it has not done”. “We must inevitably reduce the use of the solo car, something he does not want to do…” continues the realistic ecologist.
To be continued in the next debate.