(Quebec) The minister responsible for Chaudière-Appalaches, Bernard Drainville, wipes away the tears he shed after the abandonment of the third highway link and takes the pilgrimage baton while the Prime Minister revives the project in the form of a tunnel or, new, a bridge .
Published at 11:54 am. Updated at 12:32 p.m
Ravi and his colleague in Beauce-Nord, Luc Provençal, will also propose a new version of the project that would allow the passage of heavy goods vehicles.
François Legault caused quite a shock in his group on Tuesday, a day after his crushing defeat in Jean-Talon. They had suffered as great a shock as his deputies during the retreat on the promise of a third party; Here too they were faced with a fait accompli.
The Prime Minister has decided to open consultations with his deputies and the people of the Greater Quebec region and put everything on the table. He opened the door to a highway tunnel again. The decline of its flagship promise in the capital region is the reason for voters’ loss of confidence in the Coalition Avenir Québec, he believes.
The Prime Minister reiterated his intentions on Wednesday. “I think it’s important not to be dogmatic. It is important to consult the population and not rule out the possibility of a third connection. Either a bridge, a tunnel, for trucks. Look at all the possibilities,” he argued as opposition party leaders peppered him with questions and criticism at Salon Bleu.
Moments earlier, elected representatives of the CAQ on the South Coast rejoiced at this about-face, which is being interpreted more broadly as a 180-degree turn in the group.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
Martine Biron
“The idea is to remain calm and have a conversation and I am glad that the Prime Minister has opened this door and that there are no taboo topics on the table,” said Minister Martine Biron, MP for Chutes-de-la- Lady. Chaudière. “I made a few calls, partners in my constituency. In particular, I spoke with the president of the Greater Lévis Chamber of Commerce. She is excited about this idea. »
The same enthusiasm from Bernard Drainville. “The Prime Minister says: We have had a difficult time and we must listen to the citizens. I can’t help but agree with him. We have had a difficult time and must be willing to question ourselves. That is why we will listen to the citizens,” said the member for Lévis during a press briefing.
This spring he tearfully apologized to his “angry” citizens following the Prime Minister’s decision to close the third motorway link.
Hope is reborn today. “I always believed in a new connection. Always. I always believe in a new connection. I don’t want us to make empty promises. We will listen to people and see what they have to offer us. » Support for the motorway tunnel on the south coast is massive.
“What I tell my constituents is that I am here to represent you! », started the minister. “I will proudly represent the citizens of Lévis and Chaudière-Appalaches. »
“All options are on the table, possibly no commitment, there is a willingness to listen and if we listen, that could mean that there is actually the option of the third road connection.” This is certainly one of the options that we are considering could bring to the table in the discussion with citizens. »
MP Luc Provençal said he received an enthusiastic response from the mayors of his Beauce-Nord constituency following the prime minister’s announcement on Tuesday. “I’ve had a few calls and actually they’re very pleased to see that we’re going to reopen this file,” he said.
He intends to propose his own version of the third link. “I have continued to consult people in my community and we are working on a project,” he revealed. He suggested that this connection would allow the passage of trucks, unlike the last version of the tunnel. “We need to think more about heavy transport,” he stressed, an argument that clearly resonated with the Prime Minister.
Bellechasse MP Stéphanie Lachance reiterated that her constituents want to be heard by the government and are vehemently demanding a third road connection. “There is no public transport in Bellechasse. Therefore, people are inevitably forced to travel by car. For them, it’s a need,” she pleaded.
The opposition reacts
Instead of promising anything, instead of rebooting us on this project, he should present a mobility plan that improves mobility in Greater Quebec. […] There he tries to rediscover his electoral sex appeal in the greater Quebec area.
Marc Tanguay, interim leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
What a lack of respect for the people of the Quebec region. What a lack of respect for Quebecers. The Prime Minister has contested two elections on a promise that was unfounded. […]. All it takes is a by-election to return to the deadlock.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, co-spokesperson of Québec Solidaire
By bringing the possibility of the third connection back into play, the Prime Minister proves once again that his decisions are based on the mood of the moment, on improvisation.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois