When asked if her relationship with Mayor Marchand is working, the Deputy Prime Minister displays a non-verbal attitude that says a lot. With furrowed eyebrows and a smirk, Geneviève Guilbault speaks of an uneventful “working relationship”.
From an outside point of view, however, the reality appears a little more difficult. It is impossible to pretend that the links between the two elected officials are in good shape. Sometimes, they even seem at loggerheads.
An undeniable Source of tension, the tram issue has repeatedly exposed their differences since 2021.
Then, as recently as the end of April, the more global future of public transportation in Quebec was added to the list of subjects on which they adopt dissimilar positions.
“No vision”, absence of “leadership”: the mayor of Quebec did not mince his words a few days ago to disagree with Ms. Guilbault on her ambitions in sustainable mobility, worthy of Time for a peace, he said, denying all confidence in her. “Transport, for her, is to develop roads,” he blamed.
The Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility does not seem to take offense at the accusations launched through the media.
“Judging by the things I hear, I have the impression that the problem is perhaps more on his side than mine.”
— Geneviève Guilbault, Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility
In an editorial interview with The sun Thursday, she said she had no particular problem with Mr. Marchand. With whom a meeting was also planned for the same day.
“Perhaps it is him who should be asked the question, because I have never declared absolutely anything different about him from another elected official,” she maintains.
Not “circumvent reality”
In long answers, Geneviève Guilbault did not miss her chance during the interview to share her vision for public transportation, whose increasingly costly projects are likely to multiply in the years to come. Her new transport agency, she says, should make it possible to “deliver” more, and faster.
“But at the same time, it is a reality that I have to spend a lot of money to maintain the road network,” she agrees, repeating in the same breath that she is part of the government “which puts the most money into public transport.
However, mayors, largely in favor of additional government support to absorb the heavy deficits of their transport companies, “do not seem to take note of that”, she supposes.
“We can be against the roads or not want to talk about it, but that doesn’t change that it’s a reality.”
— Geneviève Guilbault
The Quebec infrastructure plan provides for investments of approximately $35 billion, of which 82% is reserved for maintaining roads, half of which is considered to be in poor condition.
“Already, this is draining a good part of the investments in transport in Quebec,” argues the influential minister of the Quebec region. In my role, I cannot get around this reality and pretend that the financial pressure brought about by the deficit in maintaining the road network’s assets is not omnipresent in our budgetary reality.
With Labeaume too
The ties that are becoming sour with the “new” mayor of Quebec are reminiscent of the exit of Geneviève Guilbault, at the end of the mandate of former mayor Régis Labeaume, in November 2021.
When the latter left his post for retirement, after 14 years at the head of the city of Quebec, Geneviève Guilbault was delighted. She did not appear distressed, at least, to see a new chief magistrate succeed the one with whom she had in the past had disagreements on various files.
Former mayor Régis Labeaume and deputy prime minister Geneviève Guilbault also had trouble in various issues. (Archives The Sun)
“It’s really going to be a new era in Quebec. And that’s an excellent thing, as far as I’m concerned. I think it’s the beginning of a new time in Quebec and it’s right that we move on. It will do good!” she said just a few days after the election of Bruno Marchand.
In an interview on Thursday, the one who at the time wore the hat of minister responsible for the National Capital did not seem to have remembered these statements.
“I work with all the elected officials,” she said simply.
