SHERBROOKE | Perked up after a month spent away from the cameras, François Legault kicked off his pre-sessional caucus by wishing his deputies “fewer distractions than in 2023”, to better concentrate on his “five priorities”.
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In expressing his holiday wishes on the last day of the parliamentary session, last December, the Prime Minister returned, in a humorous way, to some “twists and turns” that occurred in 2023, including his about-face on the third link. He also made reference to the Los Angeles Kings controversy.
“In 2024, particularly in the (parliamentary) session which is beginning, we really want to refocus, to be able to concentrate on these five priorities”, launched the Prime Minister from the outset, in front of his 88 deputies gathered in Sherbrooke to prepare for the return to the Blue Room. Hostilities in the National Assembly officially resumed on January 30.
“Do I need to name them (the priorities) for you? They have been the same since the founding of the CAQ: education, health, the economy, the environment and protecting our identity,” recalled Mr. Legault, during a short image capture at the start of the meeting. .
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While his Minister of Economy and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, confirmed in recent days “that there is a reflection in the government on private production” of electricity, the Prime Minister assured Wednesday that there “is no question of privatizing and denying the legacy of René Lévesque.” “Let’s be very clear about this,” he insisted.
Discipline
The CAQ leader did not want to answer questions from journalists upon his arrival. He plans to do it on Thursday only, before leaving Sherbrooke. As CAQ sources told our Parliamentary Office on Tuesday, the watchword this year for MPs on government benches is “discipline”.
At the entrance to the caucus, political staff ensured circulation so that most elected officials avoided questions.
The MP for Vanier–Les Rivières, Mario Asselin, agreed to explain to journalists what this slogan represents for him.
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“The word “discipline” means trying to stay in the caucus to give our impressions rather than giving in to all the possible opinions as the wind blows,” he said.
Over the past year, it has happened “a little too often”, according to him, that colleagues wash their dirty laundry in public rather than in caucus, he suggested.
“Teamwork is talking to each other face to face. When you hear a little outside talk about what is happening, it harms team spirit,” underlined Mr. Asselin.
“I’m not sure the polls reflect what’s happening [dans l’opinion publique], he clarified. But in the team spirit, it is reflected.