QUEBEC CITY -- Premier Francois Legault is turning to his Facebook friends to try to resolve the impasse surrounding Bill 61.
In a post on his wall Friday morning (see full post below), the premier said that he needed their support to convince the opposition parties to “help us revive the Quebec economy.”
The controversial Bill 61 (An Act to restart Quebec’s economy and to mitigate the consequences of the public health emergency declared on 13 March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic) aims to speed up construction starts on 202 infrastructure projects, such as schools, roads and public transportation networks.
The government also wants to accelerate CHSLD and seniors’ homes renovations, said Legault.
“We owe that to those who built Quebec,” he wrote.
He argues that all these projects are expected and that they are not a “luxury.”
He said he understands the opposition parties’ concerns regarding the application of the rules of sound management, but said that his government tabled amendments, notably one aimed at better protecting the environment.
“Despite these changes, the opposition parties have decided to refuse the government's outstretched hand,” he wrote.
Thursday evening, the Union des municipalites du Quebec (UMQ) and the Federation quebeoise des municipalites (FQM) began to put pressure on MNAs, asking them to quickly find common ground for the adoption of the Bill 61.
In a news release, the UMQ argued that economic recovery must go through the simplification, streamlining and reduction of infrastructure projects, and that time is running out.
According to Legault, the opposition “prefers to score political points instead of working in good faith.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2020.
