(Quebec) The elected Caquistes had to make an act of contrition to the voters of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches after having broken their flagship commitment to build a third highway link between Quebec and Lévis. In tears, Bernard Drainville apologized while Éric Caire chose to stay on.
“It’s a very emotional subject,” said Minister Bernard Drainville, appearing before the media on Thursday.
In tears, the member for Lévis had to stop before resuming. “I first want to apologize to the people of Lévis and the people of Chaudière-Appalaches. I made a commitment and I am not in a position to deliver,” added the minister.
In turn, the elected caquistes of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches made an act of contrition Thursday. The day before, most had reserved their comments for after the presentation of the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault. She confirmed Thursday that her government was abandoning its highway tunnel between Quebec and Lévis to build a link dedicated solely to public transit.
The Minister of Education claimed to have made a “sincere” commitment and that at no time during the election campaign, he had an indication that the project would change version. The latest version of the third link was presented to him on Monday, he said.
What he had known for the past few weeks, however, was that the costs of the project had skyrocketed. Studies on teleworking have sealed the fate of the motorway tunnel. Bernard Drainville maintains that traffic was “sick” last summer.
“It was appalling, and I sincerely believed that the traffic we were seeing this summer was the new reality of traffic in Quebec. I realized after the fact that obviously a good part of this traffic was linked to work last summer. [sur le pont Pierre-Laporte] “said Mr. Drainville.
Despite this about-face, he continues to believe “that one day” there will be a new highway link between the two shores. He says he is “console” with the fact that the project remains from city center to city center and that it will allow “to get several billions from the federal government”.
Cairo remains in office
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Eric Cairo
Minister Éric Caire said in 2017: “If there is a decline in the CAQ, I resign”.
However, he remains in office, and will instead go to meet his constituents to sell them the new public transport tunnel project. What is his word worth today? “You are talking about 2018. Voters have renewed their trust in me since then. What is my word worth? I will let my constituents decide what happens next. I think the decision to be made is the project we are presenting to Quebecers,” he said.
“The costs of the project have changed significantly, but in my soul and conscience, today, mathematics means that I cannot defend this project,” he added.
Biron “injured”
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, THE PRESS
Martine Biron
Minister Martine Biron, elected for the first time in Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, spoke Thursday of “a brutal shock” for her colleagues and citizens of the South Shore. “When I entered politics, I knew that I would have days that were a little bit more difficult than others. I did not expect it to come so quickly, to be so brutal, ”she said in a press scrum.
Mme Biron even said she was “hurt” after campaigning on the third link in her riding. “I defended him tooth and nail [ce projet-là]. I’m hurt, but I’m looking at the numbers too,” she said.
The member for Bellechasse, Stéphanie Lachance, did not defend the version of the third link presented Thursday. “For Bellechasse, it’s not a winning formula. Bellechasse, as you know, is a very large area that is served by cars. Bellechasse is 35,000 citizens who travel by car,” she lamented.
what they said
This morning, the third link shows that the CAQ cannot be trusted. They are unreliable. These are empty promises, and after five years, it’s 180 degrees. And this morning, the ministers only have eyes to cry.
Marc Tanguay, interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
The CAQ insists from the beginning, seven versions before today, and that will not be done. Then, unfortunately, at the end of the day, there may be people who will not be happy. But the planet, she, I can tell you, that the motorway project, she is happy that it does not come true.
Manon Massé, co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire
When the CAQ decided, in opposition, to support the third link project, the criterion that was retained was not that of its feasibility, it was not that of its usefulness, it was that of its popularity. It’s the only one that mattered, and they said to themselves: if it works, then if we’re elected, we’ll work things out afterwards. Today, reality is catching up with the Coalition avenir Québec.
Pascal Bérubé, MP for Matane-Matapédia, Parti Québécois