(Gatineau) Marwah Rizqy accuses François Legault of harming Quebec’s interests and being intellectually dishonest by having himself dismissed his “superminister” Pierre Fitzgibbon. According to her, a disagreement between the two men regarding the premier’s promise to cap Hydro-Québec’s residential rates at 3% is the cause of this hasty departure.
In a press scrum on the sidelines of the pre-sessional caucus of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) in Outaouais, Mr.me Rizqy and interim leader Marc Tanguay pulled out the gloves to severely criticize the “loss of control” of Mr. Legault and his entourage in matters of energy and the economy.
“It’s disrespectful, his untimely decision,” said M.me Rizqy, accusing the Prime Minister of harming the Quebec economy by demanding that Minister Fitzgibbon leave his post a few days before the parliamentary committee studies his major energy reform.
According to her, Quebec must now withdraw the 69 project, while François Legault will appoint this Thursday the person who will replace the former Minister of Energy to lead the file. The current Minister of Immigration, Christine Fréchette, is expected. In this context, the Liberal Party reiterates that the government must conduct national consultations with citizens on the energy future of the province.
At the end of August, Pierre Fitzgibbon was still saying that there would be “significant increases” in Hydro-Québec rates within five to ten years, even though Mr. Legault repeated that residential rates would be frozen at 3% for as long as he was premier.
Who is telling the truth?
For Marwah Rizqy, Pierre Fitzgibbon has the “intellectual honesty” to say that it will increase. “Clearly, there is one of the two who prefers to do politics and the other, [Pierre Fitzgibbon]who prefers to make public policies and tell the truth,” she said.
Would the Liberals raise Hydro-Québec rates if they take power in 2026? Mme Rizqy avoids the question and answers that the population must first be consulted.
The Prime Minister is not being intellectually honest in making people believe that there will be no increases.
Marwah Rizqy, on Hydro-Québec rates
A few days before the parliamentary session in Quebec City, the Liberals are reminding us that the departure of Pierre Fitzgibbon – who wanted to stay in office until December, the time to finalize his reform – comes on top of the shock resignation of the former chief government whip, Eric Lefebvre, who now sits as an independent MP in the hope of being elected under the Conservative banner in the next federal election in Ottawa.
“François Legault, I think he is telling us that he is capable of managing Quebec all by himself,” added leader Marc Tanguay.
During a press briefing in Montreal, Mayor Valérie Plante praised the work of the man who was the minister responsible for the metropolis.
“He was always available, very frank, and everything was very clear with him. I prefer to work with someone who has clear objectives and knows where he is going. I worked very well with Pierre, it was a pleasure. […] I aspire to have a new minister [responsable de la métropole] who will be able to understand extremely complex issues, not just in Montreal but in the entire metropolitan region, in terms of densification, transportation, housing, and combating vulnerabilities. Let it be a minister who loves Montreal deeply,” she said.
With Isabelle Ducas, The Press