In backlash to the backlash, Bill 96 leads to flurry of talk on Quebec separatism
Quebec Premier François Legault may not have expected quite this type of fallout from Bill 96, but he found himself hammered by questions on Thursday -- about Quebec independence.
Legault is not in favour of a new Quebec referendum, he repeated several times.
"I don't think the solution is to hold a referendum on sovereignty," he said.
All morning during Question Period at the National Assembly, various opposition parties wanted to drill down into the idea, however, and into the premier's response to Ottawa this week.
"Against the federal government, the premier is powerless," said the Parti Quebecois's Joel Arseneau.
On Wednesday, the federal justice minister confirmed that the Liberal government will intervene when another controversial bill, Bill 21, reaches the Supreme Court.
Minister David Lametti also made clear that he's not a fan of Bill 96, both personally and as a minister and MP. He represents the riding of LaSalle-Émard-Verdun.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also said this week he has concerns about Bill 96, though he also spoken of the importance of supporting francophone communities across Canada.
The PQ weren't the only ones who doubled down on the independence debate in the wake of these comments.
"Me, I have a simpler solution," said Vincent Marissal of Quebec Solidaire.
"That's Quebec's independence."
Solidaire says it believes it's only a matter of time before Ottawa more formally sides against Bill 96 as well.
Legault publicly fired back at Trudeau on Wednesday, but on Thursday he told reporters he's not budging on separatism or a new referendum.
"There's no will for that," he said, adding that it looks like a majority of Quebecers would not vote 'yes' in any case right now.
One political analyst said he's not surprised.
"I don't think François Legault wants to open that can of worms," said David Heurtel.
Legault's CAQ party has pushed aside the separation debate before, he said, but that also doesn't mean it won't periodically come up.
"You could never, with 100 per cent certainty, exclude the possibility of a political environment where a referendum could be a political option. You can’t fully exclude it," he said.
But right now, politically speaking, Quebec is far from a new referendum, he said, despite the new high emotions stirred up by Bill 96.
Moreover, despite Legault's anger, the federal Liberals are popular overall in Quebec, Heurtel said. And Ottawa's response is also nothing to be shocked by.
"While Francois Legault's reaction is as expected to the federal announcement, the federal government has the right to intervene on these matters before the courts," he said.
One factor that can't be ignored: the Quebec election, only a few months away, in which Legault will seek an even stronger majority.
The CAQ convention will happen this weekend in Drummondville, meant to kick off election momentum, and the theme of the weekend is "pride."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumour mill. That's a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported -- the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago.
'You ask for your money, they disappear': Ontario man loses $17K to AI crypto scam
A Toronto man is spreading the word of a cryptocurrency scam that lures victims using AI-generated news sites after he lost $17,000 in investments.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.