Legault says his team ready to fight with him to solve CAQ's problems with voters

Montreal Gazette

14 hours ago

Quebec Politics
QUEBEC — Premier François Legault says he believes members of this Coalition Avenir Québec caucus are ready to fight with him to dig the party out of the hole it finds itself in 14 months before the next general election.
Emerging from a second full day of special summer meetings to regroup following Monday's byelection loss in Arthabaska and a generally poor standing with voters, Legault said he believes his team of MNAs are united behind him.
'I consider myself really lucky to have a beautiful family, a beautiful team of 86 MNAs, in all the regions of Quebec, who have given me all kinds of ideas,' Legault said, stopping for a moment to speak to waiting reporters.
'We really got down to work. I sensed they are ready to fight with me.'
It was the CAQ's second day of soul searching meetings and came three days after losing a byelection in Arthabaska to the rival Parti Québécois. On Wednesday, Legault called a special cabinet meeting that dragged on for five hours. On Thursday it was the turn of regular caucus MNAs to vent and make suggestions.
Arriving early in the morning for the meeting, held in the legislature's restaurant, Le Parlementaire, Legault urged his troops to tell him what they heard from voters over the summer and what the CAQ needs to change to win back voters..
'I know you listened to a lot of people this summer,' Legault said before the media was ushered out the door. 'I want you to tell me what you heard.
'You know we have worked together for many years. We did some good things. But we need to realize there are frustrations. There are people who are disappointed and we have a duty to make changes. Together, we need to make certain corrections.
'I want you to be frank. I want you to tell me exactly what you heard. We need to realign ourselves.'
And apparently the MNAs took Legault up on the offer. Emerging in the evening from the meeting, the politicians were all smiles, claiming they were able to clear the air with the party leadership.
'The CAQ is united and you may not have noticed but we are a large caucus and it's very rare there is discord,' said Chantal Soucy, the MNA for the riding of Saint-Hyacinthe. 'It's our strength to continue. We are looking ahead. We are rolling up our sleeves and are optimistic for the future.'
'I am satisfied with the discussion, satisfied with the leader, very nice meeting,' added Chauveau MNA Sylvain Lévesque. 'Everyone is behind the leader.'
As for what the CAQ and government plan to change in what Legault calls a realignment, MNAs said those announcements will follow later.
Since coming to office in 2018, the CAQ has governed under a banner of economic and Quebec nationalism, promising sound financial management and an efficient government.
Incidents such as Quebec's historic deficit, botched investments in Northvolt and bureaucratic bungling as seen in the SAAQclic fiasco have rattled public confidence in the government. So have soaring grocery, housing and gas prices and static from businesses over plans to slash immigration.
Legault did not say what he has up his sleeve but change seems to be in the cards, his minister said.
'I am even happier than I was yesterday,' Health Minister Christian Dubé said on his way out of the meeting. 'When people are in a difficult situation (like the CAQ) they either close their eyes or they are open to change..'
Asked if the CAQ has solutions, Dubé said: 'Many.'
'We did a good post-mortem and we're looking forward,' said Immigration and French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge. 'We will soon reveal to you the results, but there are major issues we are putting forward.'
If there are cracks in the party, they were not showing. Despite the byelection loss and speculation that dissent might emerge in the CAQ machine, MNAs gave Legault a resounding ovation as he arrived at the caucus.
There was a Cogeco media report Thursday that 22 CAQ backbench MNAs met privately at the Manoir du Lac Delage resort north of Quebec City in June to discuss the government's problems.
In the meeting, organized by Rousseau MNA Louis-Charles Thouin, the MNAs drafted a report summing up their views on the state of the government.
The premier was not invited to the meeting, but was advised it was taking place. The MNAs' report was handed to Legault later. MNAs at the meeting stressed that the exercise should not be seen as an attack on their government, but part of a hunt for solutions to the problems piling up at the government's door.
On Thursday, some MNAs confirmed their presence at the June meeting but did not reveal much.
'We are a team of very competent people,' said René-Lévesque MNA Yves Montigny. 'The discussion was very interesting.'
'It was a pleasant meeting between colleagues,' said another participant, St-François MNA Geneviève Hébert.
'We had a good discussion,' Chauveau MNA Lévesque said before walking off.
Some other MNAs Thursday, however, were more forthcoming on what the CAQ has done wrong, telling reporters what their constituents said to them over the summer.
Former forestry and parks minister Pierre Dufour ran down the list, including gas prices and the continued presence of Quebec on the carbon market; the stalled third-link project between Quebec City and Lévis; and the fact his region, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, does not have a regional cabinet minister to represent it.
All this has 'hurt politically,' Dufour told reporters.
Nicolet-Bécancour MNA Donald Martel said there is criticism in his riding. He often hears from constituents about the government's Northvolt project, he said.
'But we are going to correct things. We need concrete actions.'
'It's clear we will review our strategy,' said Seniors Minister Sonia Bélanger. 'I see this very positively. We have the energy to continue.'
In the background, Legault continues to prepare a cabinet shuffle that he hopes will breathe life into his government, which is now in its seventh year in office. The shuffle will take place sometime around Labour Day.
Later Thursday, Education Minister Bernard Drainville emerged from the caucus to say he had a bit of good news for Quebecers: There will be fewer teacher shortages for the back-to-school period this year.
Drainville announced that as of Aug. 11, 96 per cent of the needed teachers were in place. Shortages persist, however, with 4,115 posts still to fill.
He argued it is nevertheless progress, because two years ago only 90 per cent of jobs had been filled.
'It's good news for students first of all, for their parents and obviously for school teams, for the teachers,' Drainville told reporters. 'The situation is not perfect; there are still 4,000 teachers to find. I see there is still work to do, but we have two weeks left before back to school.'
As the caucus dragged late into the afternoon, it remained unclear what policy shifts the CAQ will undertake.
The clock is ticking for the CAQ to turn things around. It is nearing the end of its second term, with the next general election in October 2026.
This story was originally published August 14, 2025 at 11:34 AM.