Pitiful and repentant, deputies from the greater Quebec City region apologize for having to renege on their promise to build a third highway link between Quebec City and Lévis. Although their voters “feel betrayed”, they do not intend to resign, even Éric Caire who had put his seat at stake.
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This was their main election promise less than six months ago. Every campaign day, they repeated to their constituents that they would build this motorway tunnel under the river.
The member for Lévis had a lump in his throat when he spoke to journalists Thursday morning at the National Assembly. “It’s a very emotional subject,” said Bernard Dranville, almost with tears in his eyes.
The Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, had just confirmed the withdrawal of the highway link in the third link project between Quebec and Lévis.
It will be a tunnel dedicated to public transport, the costs, details and work schedule of which remain unknown. According to Ms. Guilbault, the goal is to eventually convince motorists to abandon their vehicles and use public transit.
“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 it,” whispered Mr. Drainville. “I understand their disappointment. I understand their anger. I am really sorry. The Minister of Education assures that his commitment was sincere.
He hasn’t considered resigning, but understands his constituents “feel betrayed.”
New data
“I sincerely believed that the sick traffic we had last summer was the new normal,” he said.
He pleads today that the traffic data, in decline, and the explosion of the costs linked to inflation did not allow his government to move forward.
“The new normal traffic, post-pandemic, is not what it was before. Therefore, a motorway link is not justified, ”he agreed, lining up behind the new project of his political formation. “I believe that a link from city center to city center is necessary (…) It is a beautiful project that we are proposing. It’s not the one we signed up for. But it’s a great project and there we will have to deliver it (…) We can’t afford to be wrong.
He nevertheless believes that “one day”, “there will be a highway link” between Quebec and Lévis. “I don’t know when, but there will be one,” he said.
Two broken promises for Cairo
As for him, the deputy for La Peltrie, Éric Caire, clings to his seat, even if he had put it in play for this project. In addition to the highway tunnel, it breaks a second promise; that of resigning if his political party backed down on this project.
Recently, he had also pleaded that he would fight until his last drop of blood to realize this promise. “It’s a difficult day. I fully understand the disappointment of my fellow citizens,” he said, stressing that he was now concerned about the wallets of Quebecers. Thus, Mr. Caire is retreating and will defend the new project reserved for public transport.
Without apologizing, he believes his constituents will understand. “I am going to meet the citizens and I will explain the decision to them. I trust the judgment of my fellow citizens, as I have always done during the last six mandates,” he mentioned.
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“I can understand that people feel betrayed, but I think that today we have figures (…) The figures that are on the table do not allow us to defend the project”, he said. indicated for self-defense.
Brutal for Chaudière-Appalaches
The MP for Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, Martine Biron, speaks of a “brutal” day. “We are in a situation where we are not doing what we promised,” she admitted.
She got elected by repeatedly promising to build a third motorway link.
“It’s extremely difficult, not just for me, but for the Chaudière-Appalaches team,” she said, confirming that citizens feel betrayed.
“It’s true. We have a lot of calls in the constituency, and I know that colleagues are going through this. I spoke to the mayor [de Lévis] Gilles Lehouillier and he is very unhappy (…) Yes, they feel betrayed, the shock is enormous. We campaigned on it.”
The president of the Chaudière-Appalaches caucus, Luc Provençal, indicates that people “will question their support” for the CAQ. Several people have contacted him to express “their disappointment and anger,” he says.
The elected Bellechasse, Stéphanie Lachance, did not hide her frustration. She argues that it is in her county that citizens would have “benefited the most” from the third link.
She admits she didn’t convince elected officials [les maires] of his constituency that the new project dedicated to public transit is the right one.
She herself doesn’t seem convinced. “I still have work to do,” she said. “For Bellechasse, this is not a winning formula. Bellechasse is a territory which is very large and which is served by the automobile.”