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CTV News
2 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Young CAQ members attack unions at their convention in Lévis
At their convention in Lévis on Saturday, young Coalition Avenir Québec members said unions engage in 'undemocratic' practices, echoing arguments put forward by the Legault government. They deplored assemblies with 'prohibitive conditions,' 'radical' positions, and a 'lack of transparency' in how dues are used. Education Minister Bernard Drainville has made similar comments and continues to attack the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE), which he claims has become a 'political movement.' The FAE is challenging Bill 21 in court, which prohibits certain government employees, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols, upsetting the Legault government. In a brief speech on Saturday, Drainville expressed his delight that the CAQ's new generation, which he describes as a 'spark plug,' is tackling trade unionism and giving a 'good kick to the hornet's nest.' 'Is it normal for a union like the FAE to call an unlimited general strike without a strike fund, but have the money to challenge Bill 21?' he asked. 'Something is not right. Why are we letting them do this? ... A union is not a political party,' said the outgoing president of the youth wing, Aurélie Diep, in a similar vein. The theme of Saturday's convention borrows an expression often used by Premier François Legault: 'It's going to shake things up.' At the end of the discussion, the young CAQ members adopted three proposals: Restrict the use of membership fees ... so that they are not used for partisan purposes Make it mandatory to publish detailed information on the expenses of union and student associations. Submit resolutions ... authorizing the calling of a strike, the adoption of a position or an expense that does not fall within their mission to a majority vote of all their members. Both the vice-president of the Quebec Student Union, Audrey Fortin, and the president of the FAE, Mélanie Hubert, reacted on Saturday by accusing the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) of hypocrisy. 'It's fascinating to be lectured on democracy by a party that, at 4:30 this morning, passed a law under gag order,' Hubert said in a phone interview. 'The CAQ was elected with 41 per cent of the vote in 2022 when 66 per cent of the population voted,' she recalled. For her part, Fortin noted that barely 100 young CAQ members were present in the room to vote on the proposals that were submitted. Developing defence and mining In addition to addressing trade union issues, the young CAQ members discussed the economy, bureaucratic streamlining and internships abroad. In particular, they propose 'developing the defence industry in Quebec and focusing on this high value-added sector to diversify the Quebec economy.' They also want to 'reduce red tape in the mining sector by 50 per cent to make it easier than ever to exploit our critical and strategic minerals.' Meanwhile, Legault is scheduled to deliver a speech on Saturday afternoon following the election of a new executive. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French June 7, 2025. Caroline Plante, The Canadian Press
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Support for the third link: ‘It's fantastic,' says minister
Quebec Minister for Infrastructure Jonatan Julien answers questions during a press scrum at the opening of the Coalition Avenir Québec caucus in Saguenay on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. (The Canadian Press/Francis Vachon) Even though the cost and route of the third link are still unknown, Jonatan Julien, minister for the Capitale-Nationale region, is enthusiastic to see that the project is still popular in Quebec City. 'I am happy to see that 70 per cent of people support this project ... It's fantastic. We must move forward,' he said during a press conference on Tuesday at the National Assembly. A SOM poll published in Le Soleil on Tuesday morning indicates that 70 per cent of citizens surveyed are in favour of the third link project between Quebec City and Lévis. The CAQ government has been very indecisive about the project. In April 2023, Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault abandoned the project for a motorway link between Quebec City and Lévis. Instead, she proposed a tunnel dedicated to public transport. Then, in October 2023, less than 24 hours after his crushing defeat in Jean-Talon against the Parti Québécois (PQ), Premier François Legault took everyone by surprise by announcing that he wanted to consult the people of Quebec City about the third link and that all options were on the table. The project was revived in June 2024 despite an unfavourable report from the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. At present, the route and cost of the project are still unknown. Minister Guilbault is expected to unveil the chosen corridor shortly. 'Election gimmick' Québec solidaire (QS), which strongly opposes the project, believes that support for the project is being maintained due to 'lobbying.' 'There is strong lobbying by the Lévis Chamber of Commerce and certain private media outlets in Quebec City pushing for this project. I understand that people are tired of being stuck in traffic. Quite honestly, I understand them. I sympathize with them. However, the real solutions to put forward are not to add more traffic lanes,' said QS MNA Etienne Grandmont, who describes the project as an 'electoral gimmick.' The third link is nothing more than an 'electoral fad,' according to PQ MNA Pascal Paradis. 'It's an issue that is being used for electoral purposes by the CAQ. Promises are made before the elections, and now we're heading towards a general election in 2026. Suddenly, we're back to the third link, and it's costing us a lot of money,' he said. The SOM-Le Soleil poll was conducted from 27 to 30 May 2025 among 929 French-speaking Quebec adults in the Quebec City census metropolitan area (CMA). The maximum margin of error for all respondents is +/- 4.9%, 19 times out of 20. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 3, 2025.
