Photo: Jacques Boissinot The Canadian Press “That’s what happens when you commit to being a federalist. When we promise not to hold a referendum on sovereignty, we get a pat on the back of the head. We are told no and we will always be told no,” Yves François Blanchet told the general council of the Bloc Québécois.
Thomas Laberge – The Canadian Press
2:06 p.m.
- Canada
The leader of the Bloc Québécois Yves-François Blanchet took advantage of the general council of his party in Quebec to shoot a few arrows at the Prime Minister of Quebec François Legault – without naming him – while the latter has just suffered a new setback from Ottawa on immigration and the government announced a deficit of $11 billion in its latest budget.
“My job is to say that this deficit is abysmal, but above all it is federal, because the person responsible is federal […]. It’s $11 billion, because we’re not saying that Ottawa owes Quebec $7 billion, straight up! Explain to me why it takes an independence party in Ottawa and its brother in Quebec to tell the government: “you have a hole of $7 billion, because you are not demanding and you are not saying it,” he said. launched in front of some 250 activists gathered at Laval University.
“This is what happens when you commit to being a federalist. When we promise not to hold a referendum on sovereignty, we get a pat on the back of the head. We are told no and we will always be told no,” added Yves François Blanchet.
The Prime Minister of Quebec said Thursday that he was going to ask his federal counterpart, Justin Trudeau, for full powers over immigration. The next day, the Canadian Prime Minister refused Mr. Legault's request.
“Having all the powers in immigration is only the beginning, because what we want is all the powers, period. Without a balance of power, we are told no,” added Yves-François Blanchet.
A few weeks ago, François Legault questioned the usefulness of the Bloc Québécois in the House of Commons. “What’s the point of the Bloc Québécois in Ottawa ? What’s the point ? What’s the point ?,” said the Prime Minister during question period at the Salon bleu.