Photo: Adil Boukind Archives Le Devoir Former PQ Prime Minister Pauline Marois now says she is “comfortable” with the creation of a currency specific to Quebec . In photo, Ms. Marois during the celebration of the tenth anniversary of her election as Prime Minister of Quebec.
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s “Quebec currency” has a new ally. Former PQ Prime Minister Pauline Marois, who rejected this possibility in 2014, now says she is “comfortable” with the creation of a currency specific to Quebec.
“I think it’s a avenue that can be explored without problem,” indicated the former Minister of Finance.
According to her, the current PQ leader “has made good demonstrations” of its usefulness. Last week, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon said he was “in favor” of creating a Quebec currency.
Ms. Marois' position breaks with the one she defended during the election campaign in 2014, when she proposed keeping the Canadian dollar. However, it is not supported by everyone.
According to one of the economists who validated the portrait of the finances of a sovereign Quebec, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon is “doing something crazy” by supporting the idea of a Quebec currency. “Quebec does not need a monetary policy,” said economist Vincent Geloso, who approved the year one budget.
On the eve of the Parti Québécois national council (PQ), this associate professor of economics at George Mason University and former PQ agrees that he will not make friends with the PQ. But “on this point, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon is just playing the harp […] of the sugar shack nationalists,” he said.
The option of a Quebec currency has been debated for a long time in the PQ. Former PQ Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau, who also validated the new budget for year one, believes in it. In his book Once Quebec is sovereign, he proposes the adoption by Quebec of its own currency “with a floating exchange rate”.