“Even those against the project didn’t like what they saw. No one likes to see liars and see that they are even proud of it,” first commented the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, during a press briefing where he first spoke about the health system.
But as the third link turns out to be one of his favorite subjects, Mr. Duhaime was also questioned about the announcement made by the Minister of Transport, Ms. Guilbault, on October 11.
Remember that conservatives are recommending the construction of a bridge that would reach the South Shore, towards Beaumont, at the tip of Île d’Orléans.
“It’s the word in the dictionary that best describes Minister Guilbault and the CAQ,” he then decided, when a journalist pointed out to him that the word “liars” had serious consequences.
In fact, Mr. Duhaime said the word “liars” in response to questions in English. But it’s not as if he had been much softer in French in the preceding minutes.
Among other things, he spoke of the “shameless and false partisanship” shown by Minister Guilbault, according to him. He is against his assertion that the elected officials of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) are “the only ones capable of achieving the third link”.
We can believe that Ms. Guilbault only took into account the four parties represented in the National Assembly.
Despite 13% of votes cast in favor of the Conservatives in the 2022 general election, Mr. Duhaime’s party did not obtain any seats in the Quebec Parliament.
“It will be very pleasant”
Even if he would prefer to see a future Quebec-Lévis bridge already under construction, Mr. Duhaime admits to looking favorably on a new electoral campaign with the third link as a central issue, in 2026.
“We have been talking about the importance of having a third link between the two shores for 50 years in Quebec. The CAQ has come to offer us a call for interests which will postpone the signing of contracts until after the next election. They clearly want to make it an electoral issue,” he commented.
“If they want to talk about it, I have no problem! During the last election, it became a national issue. […] It’s quite amazing that six years later [la première] CAQ election, we are still wondering where the route is.”
— Éric Duhaime, leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec
The provincial Conservative leader therefore believes that if the CAQ wishes to once again make it an electoral issue in the Quebec region, “it will be very pleasant for us to talk about that.”
Mr. Duhaime considers that the omission of the conservatives in Ms. Guilbault’s speech actually testifies to the important place they occupy in the race.
Current projections from poll aggregator Qc125 show that if the elections were held today, Mr. Duhaime’s PCQ would win six ridings. All in the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions, all ridings currently held by the CAQ.
The next Quebec general election is scheduled to take place on October 5, 2026. In two years.
