(Quebec) Despite some good successes, François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) is ending 2023 damaged and disoriented and in free fall in the opinion polls.
Posted at 10:14 am
Caroline Plante The Canadian Press
It is the disillusionment between Quebecers and the CAQ if we trust the latest poll by the firm Léger, which suggests a decline of 16 points in a year in favor of the Parti Québécois (PQ).
Despite having a majority in the House of Representatives, the CAQ continued to self-exile throughout the year, even ending in the fall and causing internal discontent.
“I started the year with the third link. Around April I became against the third link and in October I became again for the third link.
“I'm planning my year 2024 and to be honest, I asked Santa Claus for a compass,” admitted Mr. Legault humorously during the traditional Christmas wishes in the Blue Living Room.
This is the first time the CAQ has suffered voter anger since coming to power in 2018, having enjoyed a honeymoon period, topping the polls for four years even during the pandemic.
SAAQ and 3rd link
PHOTO ÉDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
For Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault, one crisis did not wait for another. In April, she was sent alone to announce the abandonment of the third Quebec-Lévis highway connection project.
The CAQ's “annus horribilis” began with what it described as a “fiasco” at the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ).
Last winter, Quebec residents were unable to access services for several weeks as SAAQ's transition to a digital platform posed problems.
The Minister of Digital, Éric Caire, responsible for the Government Authentication Service (SAG) on the platform, even went so far as to question why he did not receive “praise”.
For Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault, one crisis did not wait for another. In April, she was sent alone to announce the abandonment of the third Quebec-Lévis highway connection project.
This project was a flagship commitment of the CAQ, which had long promised to carry it out at any cost to win support in the Quebec and Chaudière-Appalaches regions.
Surprised, CAQ MPs said they were very disappointed (Minister Bernard Drainville even cried), but it was the only responsible decision for taxpayers, argued François Legault.
Meanwhile, Ottawa's Legault government secured an increase in health transfers of 1 billion per year, while Quebec's demand had always been 6 billion.
In May, during the CAQ Congress, Mr. Legault underwent a confidence vote and received an unprecedented score of 98.61%. Delighted, he directed his attacks at Paul St-Pierre Plamondon's PQ, which was gaining ground.
Salary of the deputies
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
In the spring, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette introduced Bill 24, which increases the basic salary of MPs by 30%.
Also in the spring, Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette introduced Bill 24, which increased MPs' base salary by 30% (from $101,561 to $131,766).
On June 6, elected officials from the CAQ and the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) voted in favor of this improvement, while Québec solidaire (QS) and the PQ opposed it. The bill was approved by a majority.
A Léger poll conducted for QS found that three out of four Quebecers opposed it, but Premier Legault said elected officials had the right to make “as much money as possible” for their children.
For his part, his advisor, Éric Lefebvre, assured that his workload was so heavy that he could only afford to see his mother once a year.
This 30% increase came into force during negotiations on the renewal of collective agreements for public sector workers, who were offered around 13% over five years.
Mr Legault predicted a “warm autumn”.
Jean-Talon and the Kings
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Finance Minister Eric Girard announced a grant of up to 7 million to bring the Los Angeles Kings to Quebec so they can play two preseason games.
The prime minister certainly thought he was hitting the jackpot when he announced in September the largest private investment in Quebec's history: $7.3 billion for Northvolt.
In the minutes after the announcement, he jubilantly confirmed he would run again in 2026.
But the following week he lost the capital region riding of Jean-Talon to the PQ. The next day he promised to revive the third link between Quebec and Lévis, which he himself had buried.
Many observers of the political scene agree that the turning point for the CAQ in an already difficult year was its crushing defeat in the Jean-Talon by-election.
In an attempt to re-engage the electorate, the Legault government wrested the unpopular tram project from Quebec Mayor Bruno Marchand and handed it over to the Caisse de dépôt.
And Finance Minister Eric Girard announced a grant of up to 7 million to bring the Los Angeles Kings to Quebec so they can play two preseason games.
The announcement of this grant came a week after the release of its economic report, which showed a shortfall of €8 million for food banks after the minister warned that finances were “strained”.
However, the economic statement contained some good news: an agreement with the federal government to invest 1.8 billion over five years to build 8,000 new social and affordable housing units.
On the other hand, the Kings' subsidy, which has become a symbol of government disengagement, has given further ammunition to unions demanding better wage conditions.
Within the CAQ itself, MPs had the courage to publicly express their dissatisfaction, saying that this subsidization of National Hockey League millionaires did not fit with their “values”.
strikes
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESS ARCHIVE
On November 23, the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) launched an indefinite general strike.
On November 23, the Autonomous Education Federation (FAE) launched an indefinite general strike.
Minister Drainville added fuel to the fire by encouraging “principals, school service centers and teachers” to distribute “materials” to children to help them continue learning.
The FAE and the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) accused the Education Minister and Prime Minister Legault of wanting to “blame” teachers.
Mr. Legault had called on teachers to end the strike for the sake of the children, a statement that was very poorly received by union members on the picket lines.
Meanwhile, the government has passed a school management reform bill to give the minister more powers, including the appointment and dismissal of the general managers of school service centers.
Bill 23 also establishes the National Institute of Excellence in Education, whose mission is to guide the school network toward evidence-based educational practices.
While the common front began a second strike sequence, Health Minister Christian Dubé also chose to pass Bill 15, his health network reform, with a silence order.
Outraged, the opposition denounced this further “structural mixing” and highlighted the deterioration of health care under Mr. Dubé. An investigation was launched on December 5 after two patients died in the crowded emergency rooms of Anna Laberge Hospital.
Immigration, fiscal compact and universities
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, LA PRESS ARCHIVE
Minister Pascale Déry dealt a major blow to McGill and Concordia by increasing tuition fees for out-of-province and international students and requiring these universities to further Frenchize their clientele. Bishop's University was granted exemptions.
After Mr. Legault's explosive statements during the election campaign, Minister Christine Fréchette presented an immigration plan that received a great response. However, it ended the year with a formal notice regarding delays in family reunification.
Andrée Laforest signed a new “fiscal pact” with municipalities that, among other things, gave them more taxing powers, but Prime Minister Legault then asked them to reduce their spending before using it.
Finally, Minister Pascale Déry dealt a hard blow to McGill and Concordia by increasing tuition fees for out-of-province and international students and requiring these universities to improve the French language of their clientele. Bishop's University was granted exemptions.
The measure, which caused a stir, was intended to help slow the “deterioration of French”.
2024 will be better, says Legault
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
“Overall, I am not discouraged,” said Prime Minister François Legault during a press conference summarizing the fall session.
Even if the year 2023 was difficult, François Legault does not want to change the recipe and assures that next year will be better. “I'm not discouraged at all,” he said during a press conference to review the fall session.
He acknowledged that 2023 was “not easy politically” because there were “a lot of controversies.” Nevertheless, he has no intention of leaving office, reshuffling his council of ministers or expelling his chief of staff, Martin Koskinen.
Not only is the CAQ now less popular than the PQ, Mr. Legault himself is also unpopular, so much so that, according to a recent poll by Angus Reid, he is now Canada's most unpopular prime minister.
“I think that at the end of the day, when we deliver services, we will be confident that we will regain trust,” the Prime Minister explained.