The official opposition in Quebec City Hall is not happy about the CAQ's project to recreate the Champlain market in the ferry sector, a project that the capital does not need, believes Claude Villeneuve.
• Also read: CAQ promise from Champlain Market: few conversations with key players
• Also read: The promise of Champlain Market is a work in progress
“At the same time, we learn that the history of Champlain Market still exists. There remains a desire from the government to make progress in this regard. And the person I don’t hear talking about these things is Bruno Marchand,” complained opposition leader Claude Villeneuve. The elected official criticized the mayor's “silence” on several issues, including the CAQ promise in the border crossing sector.
“I’m sending the message to the mayor of Quebec. Ok, is this what we want in Quebec, a Champlain market, instead of a river crossing in a flood plain? I don’t think we want that in Quebec.”
The government has put its analysis of this project on hold while waiting for the completion of the Caisse de dépôt etplacement du Québec (CDPQ) Infra, which studies mobility between the two coasts in Quebec, notes Claude Villeneuve, who recalls that Mr. Marchand decided not to talk about the tram for six months. According to him, the mayor must continue to “defend” Quebec. “Who is currently speaking for Quebec?”
“Absence” and “Lack of Leadership”
The two opposition parties also joined their voices on Wednesday to criticize the mayor's performance and denounce the “absence” of Bruno Marchand and his “lack of leadership.” For Claude Villeneuve, it is “unacceptable” that the chief justice spends more than a week without speaking to the media. Note that Mr. Marchand spoke to journalists last Thursday and gave a radio interview in Montreal on Tuesday.
For the unelected leader of the second opposition, Patrick Paquet, Mr. Marchand is “isolated” after the government of François Legault suffered a setback with the withdrawal of the tram project and after insults were expressed against him by the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Pierre Poilievre , who described him as “incompetent” on the housing issue.
Mr Paquet claims that the mayor must restore relations with the Legault government during a “summit meeting” with ministers Geneviève Guilbault and Jonatan Julien.