Liberals and solidarity groups oppose holding a referendum on Quebec’s tram project, as some CAQ elected officials are calling for behind the scenes.
• Also read: Towards a referendum on trams?
• Also read: Tram: According to Claude Villeneuve, far too late for a referendum
• Also read: Guilbault, Minister of Sustainable Immobility
As Le Journal revealed, the CAQ deputies want their government to force the city of Quebec and its mayor Bruno Marchand to consult the population, for example through a referendum, before giving the green light to the tram project, the cost of which will soon fall stated.
According to our sources, these MPs believe that it is “desirable and normal” for citizens to express their opinions, while significant cost overruns are to be expected.
“The tram project, like many other topics, is the subject of discussions in the parliamentary group. This is the normal procedure,” commented the office of the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility Geneviève Guilbault, without denying the information published on our pages.
“The City of Quebec is the leader of the project. It is up to her to present a project that meets citizens’ expectations, reminds the deputy prime minister’s office. We need to improve mobility and traffic flow in Quebec and are therefore in favor of the project, but at a reasonable cost that respects the ability of Quebecers to pay.
The CAQ is “unable to deliver,” says Tanguay
“François Legault must clarify his intentions and say clearly whether he supports the project or not,” responded interim Liberal leader Marc Tanguay.
“With the CAQ, we will waste even more time in Quebec because of a confused government,” fears the spokesman for the official opposition responsible for the Capitale-Nationale region.
“The CAQ is not in a position to offer anything to our national capital,” denounces Mr. Tanguay. The tram must move forward. The city has conducted several citizen surveys. It’s time to deliver.”
Solidarity MP Etienne Grandmont also thinks that “the CAQ has already done enough politics on the back of the tram”.
“It is time to move forward with the project, as it should have happened a long time ago if the government had not tried to torpedo it,” commented the Taschenreau MP, recalling that “the breakdowns” are already in the streets of Making Quebec a reality are the project.
“François Legault does not hold a referendum on highway projects,” noted Mr. Grandmont. He has to stop buying time and change his jersey because he lost in Jean-Talon.”
“We ask Minister Guilbault to reiterate her support for the project and her confidence in the city,” said the elected member of the Parti Québécois in Jean-Talon, Pascal Paradis.
“What we need now is for the government to provide an update on the file and its own position,” Mr Paradis added.
The CAQ is “looking for an excuse”, believes the PCQ
For his part, the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, Éric Duhaime, believes that with this referendum proposal the CAQ is “looking for an excuse” to scrap the tram project.
“It is not surprising that MPs are starting to call for a referendum. “The vast majority of CAQ elected officials in the Quebec region have long-standing reservations about the tram,” he argued in an interview.
And although he agrees that the government appears to be moving closer to his own party’s position on the tram, the Conservative leader is not ready to drink a bottle of champagne just yet.
“Before we rejoice, we will wait because they can change course a few more times,” he said.
– In collaboration with Gabriel Côté, Agence QMI
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