Quebec City –
Quebec Prime Minister Francois Lego may not have expected such consequences from Bill 96, but on Thursday he was overwhelmed by questions about Quebec’s independence.
Lego is not for a new referendum in Quebec, he repeated several times.
“I do not think the decision is to hold a referendum on sovereignty,” he said.
However, all morning during the period of questions in the National Assembly, various opposition parties wanted to study the idea and the answer of the Prime Minister to Ottawa this week.
“The prime minister is powerless against the federal government,” said Joel Arseno of Parti Quebecois.
On Wednesday, the federal justice minister confirmed that the liberal government would intervene when another controversial bill, Bill 21, reached the Supreme Court.
Minister David Lametti also made it clear that he is not a fan of Bill 96, both personally and as a minister and MP. It represents the ride of LaSalle-Émard-Verdun.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said this week that he had concerns about Bill 96, although he also spoke about the importance of supporting Francophone communities in Canada.
The PQs were not the only ones to double the independence debate after these comments.
“I have a simpler solution,” said Vincent Marisal of Quebec Solidaire.
– This is the independence of Quebec.
Solidaire says it believes it is only a matter of time before Ottawa more formally opposes Bill 96.
Lego publicly responded to Trudeau on Wednesday, but he told reporters on Thursday that he was not deviating from separatism or a new referendum.
“There is no will for that,” he said, adding that it seemed that the majority of Quebec would not vote in favor at all at the moment.
One political analyst said he was not surprised.
“I don’t think Francois Lego wants to open this box of worms,” said David Hörtel.
Lego’s CAQ party has repulsed the separation debate before, he said, but that doesn’t mean it won’t show up periodically.
“You could never rule out with 100% certainty the possibility of a political environment in which a referendum could be a political option. “You can’t turn it off completely,” he said.
But right now, politically, Quebec is far from a new referendum, he said, despite new high emotions sparked by the 96 bill.
In addition, despite Lego’s anger, federal liberals are generally popular in Quebec, Hortel said. And Ottawa’s response is also not to be shocked.
“While Francois Lego’s reaction is in line with federal expectations, the federal government has the right to intervene in these matters in court,” he said.
One factor that cannot be ignored: the election in Quebec, just a few months later, in which Lego will seek an even stronger majority.
The CAQ Congress will be held this weekend in Drummondville, designed to kick-start the election momentum, and the theme of the weekend is “pride”.
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