It’s Day 8 of the Quebec election campaign, and the major political parties are out and about canvassing the province. The election is scheduled for Oct. 5. Key details: Follow along for the latest updates: ‘Rectify this situation immediately’: Liberals Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard is calling on CAQ leader Christine Fréchette to “rectify this situation immediately” over French-only election mailouts containing details on how and where to vote. This is the first time in a provincial election that Elections Quebec’s mailout cards will be sent in French only. The agency said it had to comply with language law Bill 96 and had sought an exemption that would have allowed it to continue sending documents to voters in English and French. Quebec’s Minister of the French Language, Jean-François Roberge, and the Commissioner of the French Language, Benoît Dubreuil, denied the request. Despite an incoming legal challenge by a group of Montreal lawyers, Fréchette said she stands by this move. “This decision breaks with tradition and unacceptably undermines voter participation among a segment of the population,” Milliard wrote in a statement. The election documents will include a QR code that English-speaking voters can scan to access information in English. However, Milliard called the measure unrealistic given the realities facing some of the population. “For example, seniors who do not own a smartphone. It represents a clear step backward from standard practice,” he wrote. Milliard also called on the other major political parties to build a consensus on the issue. “This decision leaves us deeply perplexed as to your government’s commitment to ensuring that English-speaking Quebecers can fully exercise their right to vote,” he wrote. Robin Della Corte, CTVNewsMontreal.ca QESBA questions parties on English education rights The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) is calling on Quebec’s political parties to address the rights of English public schools. In a news release issued Thursday, QESBA said it has submitted “pointed questions” to the five main parties, “seeking clear commitments on the rights, governance and accessibility of English public education.” Key issues include: QESBA said it is particularly concerned by proposals to extend Bill 96 language restrictions to English adult education, vocational training, and CEGEPs. “English public education is not a discretionary government service. It is at the heart of our community and protected by the Constitution,” said QESBA President Joe Ortona. “Quebecers deserve to know whether the parties seeking to govern will respect those rights and work with us before making decisions that affect our students, institutions and communities.” Amy Luft, CTVNewsMontreal.ca Fréchette firm on French-only voter mailouts CAQ leader Christine Fréchette was questioned again on Thursday about why her government is not allowing bilingual election guides and voter information cards to be mailed out to voters ahead of the Oct. 5 election. For the first time in Quebec, the voter information documents will be distributed to voters only in French due to the province’s language law, known as Bill 96, which was adopted in 2022. The government denied a request from Elections Quebec to provide the documents, which tell voters how and when to vote, in both official languages. On the campaign trail, Fréchette was asked about her discussions with Elections Quebec about the concerns raised by the English-speaking community. “There were discussions yesterday, and let’s be clear: no one is being denied access to information. No one is being denied the right to vote either. The information remains available in English, and the rights of the English-speaking community are being respected as well. As you know, the ballot remains bilingual, and it will stay that way,” Fréchette said Thursday in a prepared statement. She added: “We can be proud to defend our language, and I would say that charter, la Charte de la langue française, protects the French language, yes, but it also protects the rights of the English-speaking community. I will never call those rights into question. So, this is what we discussed yesterday.” The premier was then asked for her reaction to a group of Montreal lawyers who are now preparing to file legal action against the government for denying Elections Quebec’s request. Fréchette repeated that no one was denied access to information or the right to vote. She was then asked by journalists why the government could not make an exception to the law to provide the voting documents in English and French. “We are applying the rules that were adopted, and therefore it maintains the right of the English-speaking community to get their right protected, and no one is being denied the right to vote,” she repeated. A journalist also asked if she believed there was a risk that some voters won’t know how to vote in this election. “No, I don’t,” she said, adding that Elections Quebec will launch an awareness campaign to inform voters about how to vote. Joe Lofaro, CTVNewsMontreal.ca CAQ ready to eliminate agencies, but won’t say which The Coalition Avenir Québec says it is ready to eliminate some ministries, agencies and Crown corporations. Christine Fréchette declined to specify which entities could be eliminated, but did say that her party wouldn’t touch the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) The Canadian Press REM to Repentigny CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette is demanding that the federal government “step up to the plate” to help build a branch of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) eastward towards Repentigny. In a social media post, she explains that the project would start from the Honoré-Beaugrand Metro station and “integrate with existing infrastructure, without creating a new parallel route.” “I have already expressed our willingness for them [the federal government] to be a partner in this project,” she said. “We will work to ensure the project is recognized as a priority. It’s no longer time to reinvent the wheel. In the next term, we want to move quickly into action and begin the work.” Rachel Lau, CTVNewsMontreal.ca PLQ proposes telehealth program Liberal Leader Charles Milliard says he wants to create a telehealth platform for all Quebecers. “A consultation lasting just a few minutes can require taking time off work, arranging childcare or spending hours on the road,” the party said in a press release. “When circumstances allow, Quebecers should be able to avoid these hassles.” The proposed platform “will be fully integrated into primary care and will rely on an interdisciplinary approach to enable patients to access the right professional based on their needs.” Milliard also announced his health team on Thursday: The Canadian Press FIQ calls on parties to take stance on Santé Québec The Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ) is calling on political parties on the campaign trail to take a stance on how Santé Québec operates. “We don’t want to hear only about billions invested or structural shake-ups,” the FIQ said. “A new structure solves nothing if decisions continue to be made far from the front lines. We need to give teams and facilities more leeway and take regional realities into account.” The FIQ said it hopes that the election campaign will lead to genuine debate on the future of the health and social services network, and the role the private sector plays. “We cannot solve the public system’s problems by continuing to shift its human and financial resources to the private sector. Every health care professional who leaves the public system for the private sector means one fewer person to care for the population in the public system,” said the FIQ, which represents 90,000 nurses, nursing assistants, respiratory therapists and clinical perfusionists. The union said it is once again calling for “safe” nurse-to-patient ratios to reduce workloads and improve the quality of care. The Canadian Press Québec Solidaire pledges wealth tax Québec Solidaire says if elected, it would tax the province’s wealthiest households to help fund public education. The tax would target about 4,000 households, the top 0.1 per cent of the population, with assets over $25 million. The party estimates it would raise $5 billion a year. That money would go straight into schools, said party spokesperson Ruba Ghazal. The plan aims to “The bad choices of the last 20 years amount to penny-pinching savings and austerity, along with neglect of our public services,” said Ghazal, adding that the wealthy, not the middle class, should pay for the fix. Verdun candidate Alejandra Zaga Mendez added that the revenue would also bring air conditioning, more staff and free meals to schools. “Public school isn’t a luxury; it’s what gives every child a chance to succeed,” she said. Amy Luft, CTVNewsMontreal.ca ‘Freedom of choice’ for child care, proposes PCQ The Quebec Conservatives say they want to “give parents freedom of choice” by providing $100 per week per child to families who care for their young children at home. The pledge by Leader Éric Duhaime is a revival of the now-defunct Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ), which originally made the same promise in the 2007 election. The taxable allowance would be available to parents who do not have a subsidized childcare spot and who do not qualify for a tax credit. At least one parent must be working. “For us, it’s a legitimate choice to take advantage of the first few months or years after parental leave ends to spend quality time with your baby,” Duhaime said. The measure would cost $280 million per year. The PCQ also says it wants to maintain funding for public and subsidized daycares and increase tax credits for child care expenses. The Canadian Press Day 8 Here is where the party leaders are starting their day, in order of first appearance: Éric Duhaime (Quebec Conservative Party) Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime is set to hold a press conference at Alexis-Blanchet Park in Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon at 8 a.m. before visiting the company Métal Bernard at 9:45 a.m. After, he is expected to travel to the Villa du Moulin retirement home in Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce at 11:30 a.m. and the Frameco company at 2 p.m. He will hold a press briefing at 3:30 p.m. and end the day with a campaign rally at 5 p.m. at the bar L’Entracte in Beauceville. Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon (Parti Québécois) PQ Leader Paul Saint-Pierre Plamondon is set to begin his day with a press briefing beneath the theme “Serving the Regions” in Val d’Or at 9:45 a.m., attended by candidates Stéphane Tremblay (Abitibi-Est), Diane Dallaire (Rouyn-Noranda/Témiscamingue) and Sébastien D’Astous (Abitibi-Ouest). Afterward, he will head to Lebel-sur-Quévillon to walk through the Promenades de la Jamésie at 12:45 p.m. before having lunch with party supporters at the OPC Déli at 1 p.m. He is slated to hold a press conference with Ungava candidate Sonia Caron at Parc de la Chute in Chapais at 4:30 p.m. before ending his day at Bolorama bowling alley in Chibougamau. Ruba Ghazal (Québec Solidaire) Québec solidaire Spokesperson Ruba Ghazal is expected to be in Montreal to hold a press conference at 9:45 a.m. at Maison Alcan about restoring public finances with her candidates from Verdun and Jacques-Cartier. She is set to visit the Entre-deux-âges community housing complex at midday before heading to Quebec City to participate in a phone-banking event at the Jean-Lesage campaign office with Sol Zanetti, her co-spokesperson and candidate for Jean-Lesage at 6:45 p.m. Christine Fréchette (Coalition Avenir Québec) CAQ Leader Christine Fréchette is set to begin her day with a press conference at 10 a.m. at the Stanley Reception Hall in Roxton Pond in the Estrie region. She is then expected to visit the Soprema company in Drummondville at 1 p.m. and the Mont-Orford facilities at 3:40 p.m. She will speak to the media at 4 p.m. Charles Milliard (Quebec Liberal Party) Liberal Leader Charles Milliard is slated to spend the day in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, announcing on telehealth at Vézina Park in Rivière-du-Loup at 10:30 a.m. before taking a walk along the Traverse pier at 11:55 a.m. He is expected to then stop at Snack Bar D’Amours for lunch with a candidate at 12:30 p.m. before visiting the Verbois company at 2 p.m. and ending his day with a campaign rally at the Lévesque Hotel at 5:30 p.m. The leaders
