The difficulties of Northvolt, the repeated delays of the Quebec tramway and the numerous about-faces on the third link issue have eroded the confidence of Quebecers in François Legault to carry out major projects, says the interim leader of the PLQ.
• Also read: Realization of major projects: “Quebecers no longer believe François Legault”
Marc Tanguay reacted, Thursday morning, to data from a Léger-The Journal-TVA which demonstrates the skepticism of voters in several infrastructure issues.
“Quebecers no longer believe François Legault. Quebecers do not believe François Legault, among others, regarding Northvolt, regarding the third link. What is François Legault’s word worth?” launched the leader of the liberal troops at a press briefing.
Now, only 29% of respondents believe that a new bridge or tunnel between Quebec and Lévis will see the light of day. Even though the CAQ was elected twice on this promise, the project has still not been the subject of a first shovel in the ground.
For Marc Tanguay, voters were “rolled over in trouble” “What is François Legault’s word worth?” he asks. “For me, not much.”
He predicts that voters will remember these broken promises. “I think that, in two years, he will be smacked,” he said of the CAQ prime minister.
The PQ too
A few minutes later, PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon also mocked the third link issue.
“I do not want to encourage the fables of François Legault. We once again went into his imaginary bubble where there is a third link… while there is no one who thinks there will be a link,” declared the PQ leader.
Few Quebecers also believe in the construction of a battery cell factory by Northvolt in Quebec (37%), in the return of the Nordiques (21%) or even that of the Montreal Expos (20%).
Yesterday’s announcement of a mandate letter to the Caisse de dépôt et placement with a view to building the Quebec tramway did not reassure the Liberals. “Is she stalling for time? People in the national capital want to see the tramway, but as long as there is not a first shovel in the ground, we will remain skeptical about the future of this project,” declared MP Monsef Derraji.
Tanguay closes the door
Surprisingly, Marc Tanguay closed the door to supporting the PLQ in the third link on Thursday, while he left the decision to the future Liberal leader barely 10 days ago.
“Third link, no. Exact. It’s clear. Our position is clear,” said the interim leader.
The candidate for leadership Charles Milliard is however open to studying the file again, while Denis Coderre is clearly in favor.
“The members will judge, but, at this stage, when we look at the science, when we look at the mobility needs, when we look at the realism of the thing, I don’t see how it could be done,” summarized Marc Tanguay, based in particular on the CDPQ Infra report submitted last summer.