A referendum on sovereignty would be “irresponsible” according to François Legault

Quebec Premier François Legault does not rule out holding a referendum to repatriate immigration powers, if the federal government refuses to reduce the number of temporary immigrants by 50%.

He also emphasizes that it is not not closed to the idea of ​​holding a referendum on a new constitution for Quebec, but he is convinced that there is no a majority of Quebecers who want sovereignty.

According to him, The worst thing that could happen is losing a third referendum on sovereignty.

The national emergency is to halve the number of temporary immigrantshe says in an interview with Patrice Roy.

François Legault, who confirms his intentions to run again in the next Quebec elections, also reiterates that 100% of the housing crisis problem comes from the increase in the number of temporary immigrants.

He points out that in two years, the province has seen its number of temporary immigrants increase by 270,000 people. 000 [immigrants temporaires]there would no longer be a housing crisis “,”text”:”If tomorrow morning, we did not have these 270,000 [immigrants temporaires]there would be no more housing crisis “}}”>If tomorrow morning we didn’t have these 270,000 [immigrants temporaires]there would no longer be a housing crisishe said.

At the end of 2023, Quebec had a total of 560,000 temporary immigrants in the province. François Legault emphasizes that two-thirds of this number is managed by Ottawa.

Despite the Prime Minister’s desire to considerably reduce the number of temporary immigrants, we learned Monday that no government in the history of Quebec has made so much effort to recruit temporary workers abroad.

Since 2018, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has increased its recruitment sessions abroad, representing expenses of nearly $1.4 million.

François Legault says these programs are necessary and are not the source of the problem. These are programs where there is still a limited number [de travailleurs temporaires] in sectors where we really need ithe says.

The Prime Minister also affirms that the government plans to reduce the number of temporary students, but that the majority of the reductions must be made by Ottawa, particularly among asylum seekers.

% Population [du Canada]receives 50%”,”text”:”It is not normal that Quebec, which represents 22% of the population [du Canada]receives 50%”}}”>It is not normal that Quebec, which represents 22% of the population [du Canada]receives 50%he insists.

You have to move [des demandeurs d’asile ] in other provinces, it is done in the United States.

In Quebec, we have always been welcomingsupports the Prime Minister. But when we increase by 270,000 [personnes ] in two years, it’s just impossible.

François Legault also believes that the time needed to study files and check whether asylum seekers meet the criteria must be reduced. He also discusses the idea of ​​requiring visas for several countries.

We chose to bridge

The government announced Thursday that it was committed to building a bridge east of Quebec and Lévis, despite the report from the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ Infra).

The Premier of Quebec affirms that this is not an electoral choice. We have a file where it’s not all black and whitehe emphasizes.

He maintains the argument of economic security and reiterates that it is important to have an alternative to the Pierre-Laporte bridge for truck traffic. It’s not serious, for a city the size of Quebec, to say that there is no alternative bridgehe repeats.

It is a huge risk to say that if the bridge [Pierre-Laporte] firm, all the trucks will have to go through Trois-Rivières. This is not reasonnable.

François Legault also affirms that experts have already ruled out the idea of ​​lowering the deck of the Quebec bridge as an alternative solution to the third highway link, as proposed by federal minister Jean-Yves Duclos.

Experts from the Ministry of Transport tell us this is not feasiblehe explains.

For him, there is no opposition between the tram project and the construction of a new bridge, since his government intends to do both. This is why he says he is ready to work with the federal prime minister in place, regardless of who is in power when the projects come to fruition.

He is aware that Justin Trudeau is not in favor of the third highway link and that Pierre Poilievre does not intend to invest in a tramway.

My hope is to be able to convince either Mr. Trudeau or Mr. Poilievre that we need both projects. […] I want to tell both leaders that both projects are importanthe insists.

François Legault is also confident of moving the project forward between now and the next elections in Quebec. I still have two and a half years to prove to them that the file is moving forward. […] In two and a half years, I am capable of doing a lot to convince that it will happenhe defends.

A battle to fight with family doctors

François Legault intends to support the Minister of Health Christian Dubé and the President of the Treasury Board Sonia LeBel to resist in front of family doctors, who must see more patients according to him.

We will never be able to significantly improve the health network if we do not have real care from family doctors.he defends.

He says he is aware that the family doctors union is powerful and he did bend all the prime ministers, including Philippe Couillard.

I know it’s going to take several months [et que] It is going to be difficulthe says.

The Prime Minister says he does not intend to carry out a cabinet reshuffle and that he is satisfied of his team.