On Day 2 of the campaign, the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ), Éric Duhaime, said that his project for a bridge linking the South Shore to Île d’Orléans was not cast “in concrete” . Citizens would be consulted about his project for a third link between Quebec and Lévis, he assured.
“We won’t get there like savages,” Mr. Duhaime said Monday morning at the Gilmour strike in Lévis, to the east of where the bridge in question would be built. In the company of conservative candidates in the region, however, he praised the “tremendous” benefits of such a project.
The Conservative bus was present Monday morning in the riding of Lévis, including candidate Karine Laflamme. The PCQ hopes to delight this seat from the Caquists, left vacant by the departure of the outgoing deputy, François Paradis.
For people in the Quebec region, transportation is “the number one issue,” according to the leader of the PCQ. The latter mentioned the tramway project in Quebec and the tunnel planned by the CAQ government.
A bridge would be faster and less expensive than the third link proposed by the CAQ, repeated Éric Duhaime. “This is a project that will allow the transport of hazardous materials,” he added.
In terms of costs, Mr. Duhaime said he wanted to “keep a little caution”. “I advanced the costs of 3 billion last week,” he recalled.
But negotiations with the federal government will be necessary to determine the place of public transit in this project and the subsidies that could then be granted. “Is it going to be two lanes for motorists, a shared lane with public transport? asked Mr. Duhaime.
The Conservative leader said he did not understand why the CAQ had “denied” the idea of a bridge. At the start of his mandate, in 2018, the Legault government had recommended a similar project.
Éric Duhaime responded to François Legault who accused him, on Sunday, of wanting to “destroy the landscape” with this third link passing through Île d’Orléans. “Is he telling us that four years ago he wanted to destroy the landscape? »
Mr. Duhaime also said he wanted to remove the “warts of the Quebec region” that are the electricity pylons crossing the island of Orleans. The leader of the PCQ says he wants to find a way with Hydro-Québec to make “this ugliness” disappear.
Éric Caire must withdraw from the race, according to Duhaime
The Conservative leader broadcast an excerpt from a radio program dating from 2018 where we hear the CAQ candidate in La Peltrie and outgoing Minister of Cybersecurity and Digital Éric Caire about the third link.
“If the CAQ forms a government and I have something to do with the realization of this project, and the CAQ does not, I will resign,” said Mr. Caire.
Éric Caire can make “a Marie-Ève Proulx of him” by resigning, launched Mr. Duhaime. The outgoing CAQ member withdrew her candidacy last week, due to allegations of psychological harassment.