Jacques Boissinot The Canadian Press The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault , during a press conference on Tuesday at the National Assembly.
After producing a year one budget in 2005, François Legault mocks the update signed by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, which will be published next week. Independence is “not the priority” of Quebecers, he reiterated Thursday.
Questioned by the PQ leader, the Prime Minister affirmed that “currently, what interests the Quebecers, it’s education, it’s health, it’s the economy, it’s the environment, it’s about acting on French.”
“Not that we’re waiting for the big night! » he said.
“People, their priority is not to hold a referendum on the sovereignty of Quebec, it is to be able to pay for their groceries, to pay their rent,” added the elected CAQ member.
A few seconds earlier, Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon had confirmed the information from La Presseaccording to which an independent Quebec would be able to save $8.7 billion per year by eliminating budget overlaps with the federal government. This would practically make it possible to eliminate the 9.6 billion hole in the equalization net left behind by a separation process.
“That does not mean that we are not capable of having, possibly, work that is done on the budget of a sovereign Quebec,” agreed Mr. Legault, who in 2005 signed a portrait of the finances of independent Quebec. “[But] that’s not the question. »
“Could he tell Quebecers how many [people] would lose their jobs with the cuts? » he asked his counterpart.
“Like Jean Charest”
Mr. St-Pierre Plamondon criticizes the CAQ Prime Minister for having abandoned his sovereignist convictions. “It’s amazing, I think I hear Jean Charest. Word for word,” he argued Thursday. “It seems to me that there are limits to denying what we have already said and renouncing what we have already been. »
The leader of the Parti Québécois (PQ) has always promised a referendum in a first mandate. On Wednesday, he also outlined the contours of a sovereign Quebec by taking a position in favor of a currency and an army for Quebec. However, the question of sovereignty was almost entirely absent from his partial election campaign in Jean-Talon, and the tabling of his budget for the year one was postponed following the election.
“Why , when the elections come, he doesn't talk about sovereignty? », Launched Mr. Legault on Thursday.
The publication of the PQ's renewed year one budget is scheduled for Monday.