PLQ management race | The Quebec Constitution draft set aside

The adoption of a Quebec Constitution guaranteeing the rights of the English -speaking minority is not a priority given the economic context, agree on the main candidates for the chiefdom of the Liberal Party of Quebec.

Posted at 5:20 p.m.

At Cégep John Abbott, west of Montreal, the aspiring chefs crossed the iron as part of a 2^e Debate in as many days, this time in Shakespeare’s language.

They undertake to have a Quebec constitution adopted which would confirm “the rights of English speakers to education and health care in English”, asked them for the moderator of the debate, the Brenda O’Farrell journalist.

Brought back to the table by the PLQ recovery committee set up after the last electoral defeat in 2022, the adoption of such a Quebec Constitution was supported by the activists at the Congress of Political Training last November.

The Charter of the French Language would have been set up there, but also modified in passing.

An interesting avenue, but not pressing, replied the candidates, in short.

Economics, education

“It is not a priority for me. Priority is the economy, health, transport, and get rid of the CAQ, “said the former president of the Federation of Quebec Chambers of Commerce, Charles billion.

“My priority is the economy,” insisted in turn the ex-president of the employers’ council, Karl Blackburn, who was open to the idea despite everything.

“Economy, education is my priorities,” replied former federal minister Pablo Rodriguez, admitting the party as the party had to propose something in constitutional matters.

“Otherwise, we will have to debate the constitution of Simon Jolin-Barrette,” he said.

Appointed Minister responsible for Canadian Relations at the end of January, Simon Jolin-Barrette was charged by Prime Minister François Legault to file a Quebec constitution.

It was one of the recommendations of the Proulx-Rousseau committee set up by the Prime Minister to identify ways to increase Quebec’s autonomy within Canada.

“My priority is to make Quebec richer than it is now,” said the lawyer-fiscalist Marc Bélanger.

Once again, Beauce Mario Roy’s farmer distinguished himself from his opponents by saying loud and clear that Quebec should sign the Canadian Constitution. “The activists voted, the leader of the party should have the will to do so,” he said about the Constitution of Quebec.

A witch hunt

All the candidates also agreed on the need to withdraw certain sides from the reform of the French language of the Legault government commonly called “law 96”.

In particular, the strengthening of the display in French which will come into force on 1^is Next June and under which French must be clearly predominant on the signs of all businesses.

A “witch hunt” by the Legault government, judges Karl Blackburn. The businesses, “will have to spend so much money to have their products translated, it is nonsense. It will not help and this is exactly the kind of measure that should not be put in place, “he explained in a press scrum after the debate.

Pablo Rodriguez and Charles Billion would both saber the clause forcing the new arrivals to receive in French the state services no later than six months after their arrival.

“At least a year, it would be more realistic, it is just a question of big sense,” said Charles billion who also wishes to relieve the regulations imposed on companies.

Both Pablo Rodriguez and Charles Billion and Karl Blackburn claim that they would leave the courts first as for the constitutionality of “law 96”. However, they remain unclear that they reserved for the bill once the decision is rendered.

The next debate of the PLQ chiefdom race will take place on May 10 in Gatineau. Three other debates will then follow, until the Party Congress, in Quebec, where the new leader will take place on June 14.