Six days before the election, François Legault promises to work with all other opposition parties if he is re-elected prime minister. But he still refuses to reform the voting system.
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According to the latest Léger Poll, commissioned by the Journal, the CAQ is moving towards majority rule, despite a month-long decline in voting intentions. Above all, the struggle for the position of leader of the official opposition is fierce.
“Of course I still see a role if I am elected prime minister on October 3 to bring people together, to work with the opposition. There are good ideas, among other things, about protecting the environment, protecting the French, so I want to work with the opposition parties and that’s what Quebecers want, that we work together, “said the chief caquiste on Tuesday while walking through Gaspésie.
However, François Legault remains vague about the form such collaboration would take. Could opposition bills be called for government scrutiny? The outgoing prime minister has not committed himself to that.
“I think I’m someone who listens, and as I’ve said many times, the pandemic has humbled me more than ever,” he said.
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With five major political parties running for the election, there could be distortions in the distribution of seats in Parliament. Despite a relatively high percentage of support, some parties risk only electing a handful of MPs.
Nevertheless, the CAQ boss rejects the idea of reforming the electoral system for proportional representation.
“It’s not a priority for Quebecers. With the pandemic, with what we have to do in healthcare, in the economy, in education, it’s not a priority for Quebecers,” he said.
However, in 2018, François Legault campaigned for a reform of the electoral system. A promise he has since dropped.
GND accepts his outstretched hand
Asked for a response, outgoing Québec solidaire parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois noted that “François Legault has not demonstrated for the past four years […] willingness to cooperate with other political parties on environmental issues”.
“I find it a pity. Today, during the election campaign, he promises us that he will do it and I accept his outstretched hand,” the spokesman said in solidarity.
“I tell him: It doesn’t matter who’s in government on October 3, it doesn’t matter if that government is in the majority or in the minority, it doesn’t matter if Québec Solidaire is in government or in the opposition is; and if we are the official opposition, we will work with anyone who wants us to fight climate change harder and we will oppose any decision that sets us back in our fight against climate change,” he warned.
Regarding the results of the latest Léger poll, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois believes that Québec solidaire remains the best option to “tame” François Legault and his “third link madness”.
When asked what effect the withdrawal of his candidate Marie-Eve Rancourt will have on Camille-Laurin, the QS spokesman refuses to dictate the procedure to voters who wanted to vote for his party.
“It’s unfortunate, that’s the least we can say, but we will not be providing voting instructions to Camille-Laurin voters. I trust voters’ intelligence, I let them make their choice for October 3,” he said.
Not the right question
The PQ leader said he was willing to “collaborate on issues that move Quebec forward.” He admits that “all parties have good ideas”, including that of François Legault. “But that’s not the question,” he said, deflecting the topic to criticize the resignation of François Legault on several counts.
“What the CAQ offers us is a resignation to many fundamental issues such as climate change and the future of French and Quebec’s national status in the world,” he said.
compromises
Éric Duhaime was open to Prime Minister Legault’s cooperation proposal to the opposition.
“I am willing to work with everyone to advance Quebec’s interests,” said the Conservative leader. I don’t always agree with everyone ideologically and then there are people who don’t always agree with me. But other than that, we end up serving the same population.”
According to him, “in politics you have to be able to compromise and put water in the wine”.
– With the collaboration of Marc-André Gagnon and Nicolas Lachance, Parliament Office, and Taïeb Moalla