QS wants to broaden the debate on PL69

Photo: Jacques Boissinot The Canadian Press “Energy is terribly complicated. It’s our economic future, our social future, it affects all sorts of issues: the territory, ecology, biodiversity,” Mr. Bouazzi stressed in an interview, once again calling on Minister Fréchette to take the time needed to study Bill 69.

In the absence of withdrawing Bill 69 on energy by former Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, Christine Fréchette has a duty to listen to all sectors of civil society, says Québec solidaire (QS), which is demanding that the government invite about fifteen additional groups to speak before a parliamentary committee in the coming weeks.

On the eve of the start of the study of the bill “ensuring responsible governance of energy resources and amending various legislative provisions,” Solidarity MP Haroun Bouazzi is surprised that a certain number of organizations are not on the agenda of the special consultations surrounding the legislative text: off the cuff, he names Greenpeace, Équiterre and the Makivvik company, which represents the Inuit in their relations with Quebec.

“If we are really going to start this commission on Monday, we invite Ms. Fréchette to listen to more people, including a certain number of civil society players who will help to inform her a lot about the situation,” said Mr. Bouazzi, QS spokesperson on energy, in an interview with Duty.

Having just been sworn in as Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Christine Fréchette had little time this weekend to study the 60-plus page bill that her predecessor had tabled just before the spring break. “I’m going to arrive prepared,” she said last Thursday from Quebec City.

Very important speakers are expected in committee starting Tuesday. Hydro-Québec will be the first group to comment on Bill 69, starting at 10 a.m., followed by Énergir. Guests such as the Union of Quebec Municipalities, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador, the Quebec Employers Council and Nature Quebec, among others, will be appearing in the coming weeks.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

Nearly 40 groups

In total, 38 groups are scheduled for a two-week period. But Haroun Bouazzi counted about fifteen more guests who, in his opinion, deserve their place in front of Minister Fréchette.

“There is the MRC of Mékinac, which is directly affected by TES Canada,” he said, referring to this wind farm project in Mauricie that is to be used to power a “green” hydrogen plant. Bill 69 aims to allow this type of producer to distribute their surplus energy to customers located “on a location adjacent to [their] site.” Mr. Bouazzi also gives the example of the Institute for Socioeconomic Research and Information, which, without appearing before parliamentarians, will submit a memorandum this week in which it estimates the tariff increase generated by the bill at between 65% and 75%.

“In short, there are a number of players like that that [Ms. Fréchette] would benefit from listening to,” he said, while again calling for a “national” consultation on Quebec's energy future. “We calculated that it would add less than a week. And it would also show a change in attitude from the minister,” added the Maurice-Richard representative.

Last Thursday, in caucus in Granby, Mr. Bouazzi's colleague and QS co-spokesperson, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, had rightly demanded that François Legault's government “turn the page on arrogance” in energy matters. According to him, the former “superminister” Fitzgibbon treated Hydro-Québec like an “energy Dollarama.”

“Energy is terribly complicated. It’s our economic future, our social future, it affects all sorts of issues: the territory, ecology, biodiversity,” Mr. Bouazzi stressed in an interview, once again calling on Minister Fréchette to take the time needed to study Bill 69.

Since Pierre Fitzgibbon’s resignation last Wednesday, the three opposition parties have demanded the formal withdrawal of the legislative text. An eventuality that was rejected en bloc by Premier François Legault.