(Montreal and Quebec) The French president’s visit to Montreal on Thursday was the occasion for a new clash via media between Justin Trudeau and François Legault on immigration. The first accused his counterpart of spreading falsehoods; for the second, Quebecers are trying to protect their language.
Justin Trudeau was called upon to react to the comments of the Prime Minister of Quebec after leaving a meeting with Emmanuel Macron at the Montreal Science Center late in the afternoon.
“It’s distressing to see the Prime Minister of Quebec share statements on immigration that are downright false,” declared the Prime Minister of Canada, in reaction to the incendiary remarks of the last days of François Legault.
The federal government is “working hand in hand” with Quebec to deal with “immigration issues,” said the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, listing several issues in which his government has acted, according to him: closure of Roxham Road, renegotiation of the safe third country agreement, reimposition of visas for Mexican nationals visiting the country, and new limits on the number of international students.
“We are working and we have worked with the government of Quebec on this issue that Mr. Legault seems to want to politicize at all costs,” said Justin Trudeau.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault
“We would appreciate having a plan from Mr. Legault to reduce the share of temporary immigration that they control,” he concluded, responding to François Legault’s request for federal parties to commit to halve the number of temporary workers in Quebec.
These well-felt remarks from Justin Trudeau come after several statements from François Legault, according to whom the question at the ballot box in the next federal elections must be the reduction in the number of temporary immigrants in Quebec.
Last week, the CAQ leader even made it the necessary condition for obtaining his support in the next election.
Early Thursday evening, François Legault offered his response to the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, while he was alongside the French president, whom he met separately a few steps away, at the Pointe-à-Callière museum.
“I heard you say something this morning: the French feel rushed by immigration. It’s the same feeling here in Quebec,” François Legault told Emmanuel Macron, during a brief appearance in front of the cameras. “We all want to welcome as many people as possible, but we also want to protect our language. »
Legault rectifies the situation
Earlier Thursday, François Legault defended himself from having supported Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre by asking the Bloc Québécois to bring down the Trudeau government. According to several polls, the conservative troops enjoy a large lead and would form a majority government if general elections were held today in Canada.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESS
François Legault denies having gone too far in his resounding declarations last week.
“My only bias is for the Quebec nation, and I expect all federal parties to make commitments to reduce the number of temporary immigrants by half,” argued Mr. Legault.
“There is no federal party that has made a commitment to halve the number of temporary immigrants,” he said.
François Legault also denied having gone too far in his resounding declarations of the previous days.
And when he affirmed in the House that what Quebec “ [avait] need, in Ottawa, it is an economic government”, he “was trying to make the link with what the PQ was saying, because the PQ is trying to find a way to support [le chef du Bloc québécois] Yves-François Blanchet,” he explained.
Mr. Blanchet toughened his tone on Wednesday by setting a deadline for his support for the liberal troops. The Bloc leader is demanding the adoption of various bills by October 29, otherwise he could help bring down Justin Trudeau’s minority government.
PHOTO BLAIR GABLE, REUTERS ARCHIVES
Yves-François Blanchet toughened his tone on Wednesday by setting a deadline for his support for the liberal troops.
However, none of Mr. Blanchet’s conditions affect immigration, despite repeated requests from the Legault government, which demands that Ottawa halve the number of temporary immigrants in Quebec. The Parti Québécois also makes it a central issue, and promises to present a “drastic reduction” plan this fall.
Asked about the Bloc strategy, the leader of the PQ, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, admitted Thursday to having “discussed” with Mr. Blanchet, after Mr. Legault’s exit last week, so that he would put immigration on the table. agenda by the deadline of October 29.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon
We cannot ask the Bloc to send eight messages in one day. Then we cannot blame the Bloc for not having, in recent years, made interventions on [l’immigration].
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois
François Legault urged the Parti Québécois last Thursday to “be courageous” by asking its “brother party” to bring down the Trudeau government, in which he no longer trusts to resolve immigration problems.
“Let’s get to the end of the reasoning,” continued Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon. “This morning, I officially ask the Prime Minister, François Legault, to have the courage to speak to his sidekick Pierre Poilievre to ask him clearly: “Are you going, yes or no, to give us full powers in immigration?” » If the Conservative leader accepted this, it “changes[rait] the discussion,” he observed.