(Quebec) Pressed by the opposition parties to find a solution to the housing crisis, François Legault pleaded in favor of the free market and believes that the tax cuts he offered to Quebecers will allow them to save to buy a house.
“We think that the best way is to put money in the wallets of Quebecers,” said the Prime Minister during the study of the budgetary appropriations of the Ministry of Executive Council on Wednesday.
Mr. Legault therefore believes that by attracting businesses, which makes it possible to offer “better salaries” to workers, and by granting tax cuts, he is putting more money in the pockets of buyers so that they are “able to afford a house”.
Last year, the Legault government delivered, as promised, tax cuts for 4.6 million Quebecers, an average reduction of $370 per year.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESS
The parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois
The parliamentary leader of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, replied that while wages have increased by 24% since the CAQ came to power, the “median house price between 2019 and 2024 has increased by 68%” . “In other words, since he has been prime minister, the price of houses has increased three times faster than the salaries of Quebecers,” he lamented.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESS
The interim leader of the Liberal Party, Marc Tanguay
The interim leader of the Liberal Party, Marc Tanguay, affirmed for his part that “it takes housing that comes from the ground”, and not just social housing. He pointed out that his party is proposing, for example, to remove the QST on construction materials.
Immigration, a “bomb”, says Legault
Mr. Legault responded that he did not wish to intervene in the construction of houses. However, he pointed to the significant increase in the number of temporary immigrants in Quebec to explain the increase in the cost of houses. Between 2021 and 2023, the number of temporary foreign workers going through the Quebec program increased from 29,000 to 65,000, which is not a problem, said Mr. Legault.
The “major problem” is the 178,000 asylum seekers, he added, and all 495,000 temporary immigrants that Quebec does not control. “It’s a bomb that is managed by Ottawa,” said the Prime Minister.
“There is currently an imbalance between demand and supply. Prices are exploding. We find ourselves in a situation where we have to catch up, said Mr. Legault. We will not succeed if we do not reduce demand. »
Price of rent
Subsequently, he was irritated when Liberal leader Marc Tanguay tried to corner him by asking him the price of rent for a four and a half apartment in Montreal. In 2021, the Prime Minister found himself in the hot seat after saying, during the same accountability exercise, that the price of an apartment to rent in Montreal starts at “$500, $600 per month”, but that it “can quickly rise to $1000”.
“You want to make a Manon Massé of yourself,” he told Marc Tanguay. Mr. Legault therefore initially refused to answer, and asked his team to find the right information. When Dominique Savoie, general secretary and clerk of the Executive Council, presented documents to him, Mr. Legault said: “They gave me a number, but I think it is higher than that. »
During this exercise, Mr. Legault reiterated his desire to seek a third mandate from Quebecers in 2026, and did not rule out taking a position to support a federal political party when elections take place, probably in 2025.
Brief appearance of St-Pierre Plamondon
For his part, PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon made a brief appearance during this three-hour session. He arrived halfway through the exercise and began his speech by emphasizing how little time he had. “You’re lucky, I only have 12 minutes,” he told the Prime Minister.
Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon asked Mr. Legault if he was going to campaign for the Yes camp in the event of the failure of the third way. The Prime Minister did not want to answer the question directly, but stressed that he was not giving up and intended to seek more powers from Ottawa, while criticizing the past positions and changes of course of Mr. St- Pierre Plamondon.
The latter did not appreciate these comments, affirming at the end of the exchange that “the exercise consists of the Prime Minister reading random quotes”.
“I know that it shocks the leader of the PQ, but he has already said that he had discomfort with nationalism, that the decline of French did not exist, that law 101 in CEGEP was not a good idea. What credibility does he have today? », replied Mr. Legault while Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon left the room. The PQ leader’s communications director subsequently explained that he had commitments.
A few minutes later, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois spoke: “I promise that I will not leave if I don’t like your answers,” he told the Prime Minister, who laughed.
The CAQ criticizes a PLQ fundraising campaign
The Legault government took advantage of the study of budgetary appropriations to criticize the Liberal Party, which according to it is campaigning on the backs of farmers to raise funds.
In a letter written to “I” distributed by the CAQ, Liberal MP André Fortin writes: “Several farmers, as I write these lines, have very little liquidity. » He adds that he demonstrated with farmers. Then, he invites people to “donate now to help us defend the interests of our Quebec farmers against the inaction of the CAQ government.”
” It’s still amazing. I would never dare say: we are going to use the crisis in agriculture to collect money for the Liberal Party of Quebec. This is an insult, in my opinion, to farmers. I can’t believe that the member for Pontiac agreed to post his photo […] It’s embarrassing,” denounced François Legault.