Quebec’s political parties are hitting the trail for Day 7 of the campaign ahead of the Oct. 5 election. Key details: Here’s the latest: Too late to print voter documents in English: CAQ Élections Québec says it is too late to make changes to the unilingual French documents it is mailing to voters ahead of the election. The provincial elections authority was reacting to comments made by Coalition Avenir Québec Leader Christine Fréchette, who said she is in discussions with Élections Québec to determine the next steps. “We will see what our obligations are,” Fréchette said. The unilingual documents have prompted an outcry from advocacy groups representing anglophones in Quebec who say the French-only documents are creating an unnecessary barrier for voters. Élections Québec said on Tuesday it could not print the documents in both French and English, as it has done in the past, to comply with language legislation that makes French the sole language of communication for public institutions. The printed documents include a QR code to the Élections Québec website, where information is available in English. The Canadian Press Duhaime urges voters to focus on ideas amid candidate controversies Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime urged voters Wednesday to focus on his party’s ideas and not be distracted by the “noise” surrounding controversial comments by his candidates. Duhaime was in Quebec City to announce measures to ease interprovincial trade, but questions focused on Brome-Missisquoi candidate David Alarie. Radio-Canada reported Alarie had called for Quebecers who supported COVID-19 vaccination to be “euthanized” during the pandemic and encouraged citizens to “harass” elected officials. Alarie apologized and acknowledged his comments were in poor taste. Duhaime expressed frustration with the questions and pointed to the CAQ over the media reports. He said the party had been dealing with stories dating back six years, while also facing questions about other candidates, including Dominique Dumas, who The Devoir reported had repeatedly insulted people online. The Canadian Press CAQ promises to streamline government Christine Fréchette wants to eliminate 2,900 positions through a voluntary buyout program, at a total cost of $507 million. This would amount to an average of nearly $175,000 per position bought out. These buyouts would be in addition to a program already announced in June to eliminate 3,000 positions by 2030, for a total of 5,900 positions. The June program was not included in the CAQ’s fiscal framework presented on Sunday and would, among other things, reduce the $6-billion deficit that needs to be eliminated to achieve a balanced budget by $1 billion, the CAQ explained. The Canadian Press Elections Quebec must use French in exemplary manner: Roberge As Premier Christine Fréchette is in talks with Elections Quebec over concerns about French-only voter information cards, the province’s French language minister has reacted to the controversy. In a statement to CTV News on Wednesday, Jean-François Roberge’s office said that since French is the official language of Quebec, Elections Quebec should “fulfill its duty to set an example.” “The protection of the French language depends first and foremost on its vitality—and therefore on its widespread use throughout society,” the statement reads. He added that Quebecers eligible for English-language education, as well as members of First Nations, will still be able to receive information in English “upon request.” “This strikes a fair balance that respects the linguistic and democratic rights of these individuals without contravening our objectives of defending our national language or the spirit of the French Language Charter, as amended by our major reform of 2022,” the language minister’s office said, adding that the use of a language other than French by Élections Québec must be approved by the French Language Commissioner. Joe Lofaro, CTVNewsMontreal.ca PQ responds to report on CAQ funding federalist organization PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is commenting on a Journal de Montréal report alleging that the CAQ gave money to a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote federalism. The organization, Mission Leadership Quebec, champions itself as a bulwark against the independence movement. According to the report, the group organized a “town hall” for Christine Fréchette on Sunday and recruited participants. At a press event in Saint-Jérôme, St-Pierre Plamondon called for the full extent of the collaboration between the CAQ and the nonprofit to be made public, as well as Mission Leadership Québec’s funding sources “Follow the money,” he said in English, before continuing in French. “If there were two small contracts from the CAQ that fund an organization doing door-to-door canvassing—with people paid to do it—to promote federalism, and that’s where the money comes from, then where does the money come from? Because this smells fishy; it smells like Option Canada.” Amy Luft, CTVNewsMontreal.ca With files from The Canadian Press Frechette says CAQ is reviewing voter information protocol After Elections Quebec announced it was sending voter information documents only in French to comply with Bill 96, Interim Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette said her administration was looking into the matter. During the campaign trail on Wednesday, Fréchette was asked whether she had requested that Quebec’s chief electoral officer reverse the decision. She only confirmed that discussions were taking place. “I want to hear about the discussions that will have to take place today and after that we will take a decision,” she said. On Tuesday, Elections Quebec said it had requested an exemption from the language law in order to continue sending documents to voters in English and French, but the request was denied by Quebec’s minister of the French language, Jean-François Roberge, and the commissioner of the French language, Benoît Dubreuil. Elections Quebec said that to help anglophone and allophone voters, election guides and voter information cards would include a QR code to “facilitate access to information in English” on the Elections Quebec website. Critics swiftly panned the decision, while one constitutional lawyer said that by refusing to provide adequate electoral information to its English-speaking minority, the Quebec government may be violating the Constitution. Marisela Amador, CTVNewsMontreal.ca Québec Solidaire promises to help young people buy homes Québec Solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal is announcing help for young people to become homeowners. Alongside the party’s candidate for Saint-Jérôme, Orphée Dubé-Gervais, Ghazal said a QS government will establish a down-payment loan program for first-time homebuyers covering up to 15 per cent of the value of a new home, or 5 per cent of an existing home. Loans can total up to $50,000. The program would benefit 25,000 people per year, QS said in a news release. They said more details were available in the party’s housing plan. “With rising rents, young people are no longer able to save money for a down payment! It worries me greatly to see the gap widening between generations. I want young people to be able to choose to own a home if that’s what they want. As Premier of Quebec, I want to give young people the boost they need for one of the most important stages of their lives,” said Ghazal. - Amy Luft, CTVNewsMontreal.ca Conservatives want to make Canadian free trade ‘a reality’ Describing Quebec as a “champion of exceptions,” Conservative leader Éric Duhaime wants to follow Ontario’s lead in eliminating barriers to interprovincial trade. The Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ) wants to make Canadian free trade “a reality”—something the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has failed to achieve amid the trade war, according to the party. “Right now, Quebec is the champion of exceptions,” said Duhaime on Wednesday morning during a conference in Quebec City. In particular, the PCQ aims to address non-harmonized trucking regulations, the recognition of licenses and exams, and the sale of alcohol. Removing barriers between provinces would allow businesses to generate an additional $15 billion per year, according to the party. “Interprovincial barriers are hidden tariffs that come at a high cost in terms of delays, lost investments, and lost contracts. Reducing them could boost Quebec’s economy by 2 per cent by the end of a term,” said Adrien Pouliot, the Conservative spokesperson on the economy and public finances, in a press release. The Canadian Press Conservative candidate apologizes for vaccine remarks from 2020 Another Quebec Conservative Party candidate is in hot water over remarks he made a few years ago. Radio-Canada is reporting that in 2020, the Conservative candidate in Brome-Missisquoi, David Alarie, called for the euthanasia of Quebecers who supported vaccines and advocated for the harassment of CAQ elected officials. Alarie has now apologized for his remarks, and Conservative Party leader Éric Duhaime claims that his party is the target of a smear campaign. “The CAQ has once again dug up stories from six years ago regarding our case from 20 years ago involving the Parti Québécois, and now the media—or rather, some of them—are acting as mouthpieces for the CAQ’s smear campaign to divert attention from Fréchette’s record. I think the candidate has already explained himself; you know it’s been six years,” said Duhaime. The Canadian Press Here’s what the party leaders have planned for today: Christine Fréchette (CAQ) CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette started the day with a press conference at the Grand Hôtel Times in Vanier-Les-Rivières at 9 a.m. She will then hit the road again and head to St-Augustin-de-Desmaures for a visit to the Le St-Augustin senior living facility at 10:20 a.m. At 12:15 p.m., she will attend a campaign lunch at the Ti-Oui Snack Bar in Saint-Raymond before heading to Trois-Rivières, where she will mingle with the crowd and greet volunteers at Halte Douceur around 3:15 p.m. Charles Milliard (PLQ) Liberal Leader Charles Milliard will also be in the Mauricie region. He will make an infrastructure announcement at 10 a.m. at Parc Tricentenaire, across from Paneton School in Louiseville. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., he will meet with candidates during a lunch at Le Grec restaurant in Trois-Rivières. He will then head back to Louiseville, where he will visit the Canadel company at 2 p.m. He is also scheduled to visit Groupe Pro-B in Trois-Rivières at 3:45 p.m. He will end the day with a campaign rally, set to begin at 6 p.m., at the Le Trou du Diable microbrewery in Shawinigan. Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon (PQ) PQ Leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon will be in Saint-Jérôme, specifically at Place du Curé-Labelle, where he held a press briefing on education at 9:30 a.m. Later, around 12:30 p.m., he is scheduled to attend a lunch and campaign rally at 131 Albiny Paquette Blvd. in Mont-Laurier. He will hold a press scrum at the Lièvre microbrewery at 2:30 p.m. He will end the day with a campaign rally at the Le Prospecteur microbrewery, starting at 6 p.m., in Val-D’Or. Ruba Ghazal and Sol Zanetti (QS) Quebec Solidaire spokesperson Ruba Ghazal will spend the day in the Greater Montreal area. She is first holding a press briefing in Saint-Jérôme at 9:45 a.m. to present a measure promoting homeownership. She will end the day in Montreal with the launch of the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve campaign office at 5:30 p.m. QS spokesperson Sol Zanetti will be in the Quebec City area, where he will participate in a food distribution at the Jean-Guy Drolet Community Center around 12:45 p.m. He is then scheduled to meet with representatives from the food security organization Entraide Agapè at 2:45 p.m. Éric Duhaime (PCQ) Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime started the day with a press conference at 8 a.m. at Café du Monde to present his strategy for interprovincial trade. He will then head to Saint-Nicolas, where he will hold a press briefing at 150 Plante Street at 2 p.m. Starting at 5:30 p.m., he will spend the evening with Bellechasse’s elected officials at La Contrebande microbrewery in Saint-Anselme. Reporting by Noovo Info
