Less than a year and a half ago, François Legault portrayed Justin Trudeau as the man to beat in the federal elections, but on Tuesday he turned perfectly happy with the federal Liberal leader. Back to a love-hate relationship littered with strategic tirades and genuine pro-Quebecarian interests.
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The high-contrast moments are striking.
In September 2021, the premier of Quebec is stepping up for a minority conservative government to defeat a Justin Trudeau we need to be “ware of”.
Accusing his federal counterpart of wanting to strip Quebec of its immigration powers and attacking the secularism law, he lavishly uses shocking phrases: “disturbing,” “dangerous,” he claims in an indictment commonly heard in Quebec almost never seen PM during a federal campaign.
On Tuesday, François Legault was full of praise for the one he was still trying to beat!
“Wow. Nice days like this, I would take it any day Justin,” the conquered caquist began during the announcement on Davie’s website.
“Justin,” as he puts it, had just done his act, kicking off in a booming, echo-enhanced voice, “We’ll be building ships here in Quebec for a long time,” even if he’s actually in .. Levis.
Like a rock star, intoxicated by his own impact on the crowd.
Homer
It is quite normal that the two men congratulated each other on this great shot.
Though it should have happened a long time ago, Davie is stepping into the federal naval strategy that will result in $840 million in investments and the creation of 1,800 paid jobs.
It’s a split home run.
It is all the more astonishing that the CAQ manager “Justin” thanked him four times for other reasons that actually had nothing to do with the construction workers who stood with him on the stage.
“First file, Roxham […] Thank you for completing this file with Mr. Biden, Justin, thank you very much,” François Legault launched as if relieved of an immense weight.
He then also commended the Prime Minister of Canada for the federal budget, which is putting $80 billion into the green economy that Quebec hopes to benefit from.
“I’m happy, thank you Justin, for putting this program together, thank you,” he continued with the enthusiasm that sometimes makes him lose control of his tonic accents.
And yet
The same François Legault in January accused the Liberal federal leader of launching a “frontal assault on our nation’s ability to protect our collective rights” for threatening to regulate the use of the whatever clause.
It was he who ironically asked Justin Trudeau in February to compose a new tweet blaming him for the influx of migrants into Roxham Road.
Now grateful, he even defended his counterpart when Paul St-Pierre Plamondon questioned him about the weight of the Liberal government’s budgetary decisions this week.
“I feel like I have Justin Trudeau in front of me,” laughed the PQ leader.
With these recently concluded points of reconciliation that have been months in the making, we understand a little why François Legault wasn’t more combative when he received just $1 billion more in health transfers from the federal government, despite a request for $6 billion.
He’d probably been dangling with the other maple leaf flavored advancements.
Legault’s and Trudeau’s visions remain diametrically opposed on how to ensure the sustainability of the nation of Quebec.
More shocks are inevitable.
But as long as the CAQ leader convinces himself that he’s picking it up here and there, the newfound bromance period could last for a while.
