PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon hit back on Sunday at François Legault, who called on him to “tell Quebecers the truth” and talk about the sacrifices that independence entails: there are “no victims,” assured he.
“We can call it work, but I don’t see it as a sacrifice, it will happen spontaneously because it will be pride that replaces fear,” he said in the press scrum at the end of a national council of the Parti Québécois (PQ). focused on education, in Saint-Hyacinthe.
Instead, the PQ leader is asking his CAQ colleague to talk about the sacrifices Quebecers will have to make if they remain in the federation, such as dealing with their linguistic and demographic decline.
Mr St-Pierre Plamondon was then asked about the transition – negotiations, adjustments, construction, to use his words – that would follow a referendum in favor of independence.
“I can’t say exactly how many years the transition will take,” he said, adding that there would be a stimulus that would last two or three years because independence would boost the economy. , as postulated in its public finance document submitted last week.
But what about the negative consequences?
It’s not likely, it’s not the most likely scenario. The studies we have presented do not support the scenario of economic uncertainty, on the contrary.
The independence leader even expects a wave of enthusiasm the day after the yes vote in the referendum.
People will be able to participate in social life much more quickly. Social bonds become stronger. “I think it is a founding act of citizenship in a Quebec that is looking for more cooperation,” he stressed.
Victim of the status quo
In his closing speech, PQ leader François Legault asked to speak about the sacrifices that the status quo in the Canadian federation entails.
Do we want to talk about the truth? We’re talking about the truth, let’s go!
Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon then spoke about the demographic decline of Quebec in Canada, the decline of the French here and across the country, the doubling of the federal debt while the federal public service has increased by 40% without receiving more services, the money , which was wasted by the duplication and overlapping of powers between Ottawa and Quebec, etc.
We are on the way to becoming minorities and more and more minorities, he denounced, seeing a disproportion of victims between independence and the federal status quo.
Stay in fear
François Legault invites us to give up, to remain in fear, launched his PQ opponent.
Fear has always been the basic argument of the Federalists, and never has their argument been so weak, argued Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon.
All parties in the House of Representatives, even the Liberal Party and the CAQ, voted last week for a motion affirming that independent Quebec is economically viable, he recalled.
“The only argument left to the federalists is based on the costs of the transition,” said the PQ leader again, “but we have studies that confirm that Quebec would be prosperous and they have no studies!” he said. It’s pretty weak!
He also ended his speech to the excited activists by saying, “Yes, we are capable!”, echoing former American President Barack Obama’s slogan.
Mr St-Pierre Plamondon said that he had not made the connection and wanted to explain what he meant by this slogan.
We deserve to compete on the international stage. We deserve to teach our children linguistic and cultural sustainability. Let’s not settle for less, even if people try to discourage us by saying: There are sacrifices.
The PQ still has a lot of work to do to document and present its arguments on its option.
After presenting the finances of a sovereign Quebec last week, the party is preparing a response to the initiative of the century, this project by a Canadian group that aims to increase Canada’s population to 100 million people by 2100 thanks to immigration.
The political party will also present a Blue Book, a form of questions and answers on independence in 2025, and ultimately a definition of Quebec citizenship in 2026.