(Sainte-Anne-des-Monts) Paul St-Pierre Plamondon pulls out all the stops to keep Gaspésie – one of the last PQ strongholds – and promises to designate himself as minister responsible for the Gaspésie – Îles-de-la region -Madeleine if he becomes prime minister on October 3. Pascal Bérubé goes on his side to the attack: at least 15 candidates approached by the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) would have refused to wear the colors of the party in Gaspé, he declared.
Posted at 11:45 a.m.
Updated at 11:45 a.m.
The leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ) thus says he is taking up the tradition of former leaders, such as Pauline Marois and Bernard Landry, by designating the prime minister, minister responsible for Gaspésie – Îles-de-la-Madeleine. In fact, however, M.me Marois was president of the interdepartmental committee for Gaspésie – Îles-de-la-Madeleine and had appointed Gaétan Leliève minister responsible.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is committed to doing both. The political formation seeks to send a clear signal that the Gaspé will not be forgotten under a PQ government, while the Coalition avenir Québec is accused of doing so. Of the seven members of the Parti Québécois at the dissolution of the Chamber, three are in Gaspésie and two on the North Shore (Duplessis and René-Lévesque).
Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon defends himself from throwing in the towel on the North Shore by making this commitment in front of the Gaspésiens. “No, it is rather in the coherence and continuity of the history of my party. There are socio-economic issues in Gaspésie, there are parts of Gaspésie that need more support and that have not had their fair share,” explained the chief.
The political formation was slow to put candidates in the ranks in Duplessis, in particular. Pascal Bérubé had even launched an appeal to all to find his candidates on the North Shore.
The leader of the Parti Québécois was flanked by Pascal Bérubé (Matane-Matapédia), Méganne Perry-Melançon (Gaspé) and singer and resident of Mont-Louis, Daniel Boucher, during his announcement in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. The latter was delighted that Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon put forward the sovereignist project. He also gave his support to Jean-François Lisée in 2018.
The PQ is committed to creating a regional Quebec infrastructure plan (PQI) totaling $70 billion, i.e. an increased envelope of $11 billion which would translate into a gain of $1.1 billion per year for 10 years to catch up on the backlog in investments in region. The training would also set up a Ministry of Regional Development – which would not come under the Ministry of the Economy as is currently the case – to administer this envelope.
Bérubé on the attack
PHOTO PHILIPPE BOIVIN, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Pascal Berube
All of eastern Rivière-du-Loup was painted PQ blue in the 2018 elections. headed by the outgoing MP for Matane-Matapédia, Pascal Bérubé. The CAQ would like to extend its tentacles east of Rivière-du-Loup where it is completely absent.
Méganne will not tell you, but I will tell you: in this riding (Gaspé), and we have the list of names, 15 people refused to appear for the CAQ and not the least. […] I challenge the CAQ to say that is false.
Pascal Bérubé, outgoing MP for Matane-Matapédia
The caquiste candidate in Gaspé, Stéphane Ste-Croix, was one of the last of the 125 candidates confirmed by the Coalition avenir Québec with that in Côte-du-Sud, due to the withdrawal at the last minute of the ex-minister and incumbent Marie-Ève Proulx.
The ridings of Rimouski and the Islands flash in particular on the CAQ dashboard. The Coalition avenir Québec is betting on Maïté Blanchette-Vézina, former mayor of Sainte-Luce, to win the PQ stronghold of Rimouski, left vacant by the departure of Harold LeBel, and defended by rookie Samuel Ouelette, ex-press attaché of Mr. LeBel. Rimouski, a student city, is also in the crosshairs of Québec solidaire, which chose Carol-Ann Kack. She was also a candidate in 2018.
In the Islands, it is the mayor of the place, Jonathan Lapierre, who will cross swords against the outgoing deputy and parliamentary leader of the PQ, Joël Arseneau. The Parti Québécois is banking on Alexis Deschênes, already seen as a rising figure in the formation in Bonaventure, to succeed Sylvain Roy.
The Parti Québécois caravan is embarking on a tour of Gaspésie that will take it today to New Port, New Carlisle and Carleton, in particular.