(Quebec) Although the Quebec government is not closing the door to holding a sectoral referendum on immigration, Minister Christine Fréchette admitted that no preparation has been undertaken to hold a possible popular consultation.
“We are not in the logistical organization of holding a referendum. It was not mentioned at all,” said the minister during the study of budgetary appropriations on immigration on Wednesday.
“It is not because we do not exclude a referendum that that means that we are preparing it,” she added.
Mme Fréchette reiterated that his government was working to “collaborate with the federal government to obtain gains for Quebec.” She assures that the idea of a referendum is “not at all a bluff”.
The duty reported last week that if the Legault government wanted to move forward with a referendum on immigration, it was going to have to adapt the Popular Consultation Act, because it is no longer up to date, according to Élections Québec.
It was PQ MP Pascal Bérubé who questioned the minister on the subject. “It takes preparation to show that we are serious with this means,” he maintained.
Remember that the Parti Québécois asked François Legault to commit to holding a referendum if he does not obtain full powers over immigration following his meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 30.
Tense exchanges
The study of credits also gave rise to tense exchanges between Minister Fréchette and Pascal Bérubé. The latter even threatened to slam the door of the commission.
Mr. Bérubé criticized the minister for not answering his questions directly enough. “That’s not at all in my question,” repeated the PQ MP, while the minister responded.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
PQ MP Pascal Bérubé
“Immigration is complex, so it requires a little precision when explaining,” defended the minister.
The PQ MP, for example, asked three times if the minister still thought that setting thresholds for temporary immigrants was synonymous with a planned economy. Question to which the minister did not answer directly.
“Our goal is to reduce non-permanent residents. This is what we are working on and we are doing it separately from the PQ,” she said.
The president of the commission, Lucie Lecours, visibly exasperated by exchanges which she described as “a little chaotic”, demanded that the elected officials contact her so that they stop questioning each other directly.