It is because his runner-up bit the dust at Quebec City Hall that Régis Labeaume emptied his heart in a vitriolic letter 14 pages about the tram and the 3rd link, believe Caquist ministers.
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In his letter, the outgoing mayor criticizes the Caquista government in particular for having interfered in the municipal electoral campaign by confirming cost overruns of $ 600 million with the tramway project.
For Minister Jonatan Julien – who was Mayor Labeaume’s right-hand man before leaving his party and making the leap into provincial politics – it would have been all the more unacceptable if citizens were not informed of the explosion in costs before the vote.
“The reproach would have been much more not to know it”, considers the deputy of Charlesbourg.
“I understand that Mr. Labeaume is disappointed with the results of the last election,” analyzed Mr. Julien, who noted a touch of “bitterness” in the writings of the outgoing mayor.
“We are looking forward, we have a new mayor, Bruno Marchand,” said the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.
Guilbault turns the page
According to the Minister responsible for the Capitale-Nationale, Geneviève Guilbault, it is time to turn the page, after 14 years of reign of Régis Labeaume.
“This is the beginning of a new era in Quebec, then […] It’s good that we can move on, ”reacted the Deputy Prime Minister, who presented a medal to Mr. Labeaume no later than last Thursday, a day before the publication of his letter.
“I welcome the new era that is beginning in Quebec with Mr. (Bruno) Marchand, a very amiable, very affable person,” insisted Mr.me Guilbault, welcoming the election of the new mayor of Quebec.
Two meetings are already planned for the next few days in order to begin work on the various files concerning the capital.
“I feel that the collaboration is going to be excellent,” she said. […] I think the climate will be very pleasant. ”
The Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel, swept aside with the back of his hand, the possibility of adding a new traffic lane on the Pierre-Laporte Bridge, in the direction of traffic in the morning and in the evening, as suggested by Mr. Labeaume. .
“It’s unthinkable,” said Bonnardel, explaining that the approaches, both north and south, would not allow this type of development.
Legault is not surprised
“I was not surprised by the position of Régis Labeaume”, commented for his part the Prime Minister François Legault, who had never felt “a big support” on behalf of the outgoing mayor towards the project of 3e link.
Ditto for the CAQ minister Eric Cairo, who is scratched in the letter written by the outgoing mayor.
“Mayor Labeaume has always had major reservations about the project, that’s correct, he has the right to speak,” said Cairo.
Contrary to what Mr. Labeaume suggests about the tramway project, “we never slowed down this project,” he said.
“For me what is important,” insisted the Prime Minister, “is when we look at the majority of the citizens of Chaudière-Appalaches then of Quebec, well they are for the 3rde link. I work for citizens, I do not work for Régis Labeaume. ”