Legault refuses to commit to expanding law protecting seniors from eviction
![Francois Legault Quebec Premier Francois Legault speaks to the media following a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal, Friday March 15, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/3/27/francois-legault-1-6824691-1711566614182.jpg)
Premier François Legault refuses to commit to working with Québec solidaire (QS) to pass Bill 198, which would expand the scope of the Françoise David law to better protect seniors from eviction.
"Is the premier open to discussions with the other parties to better protect senior tenants?" asked QS parliamentary leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois during question period at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
But Legault avoided answering, preferring to deflect the question to criticize the QS.
"The real problem with housing is that there is a shortage of units in relation to the high demand, among other things because of temporary immigrants, who have increased by more than 230,000 in the past two years. QS refuses to see this problem and still thinks that putting more constraints on landlords is the way to solve it. We don't agree with this approach," said the premier.
However, the CAQ government agreed to call QS's bill.
The premier also took the opportunity to praise his government's record on policies for seniors. He recalled that Bill 31 on housing, adopted in February, reversed the burden of proof in evictions to put the onus on landlords.
"The older you are, the more at risk you are," he said.
On Wednesday morning, former QS MNA Françoise David -- who pushed through a law to protect senior tenants in 2016 -- published a letter in La Presse calling on the government to quickly adopt the QS bill, as "Quebec is going through the worst housing crisis in 40 years."
"We now ask the government and opposition parties to rediscover the transparent spirit of 2016 and work together towards the rapid and unanimous adoption of a law that better protects senior tenants from eviction," reads the letter.
The letter is signed by two former PQ ministers, Louise Harel and Marie Malavoy, as well as former Liberal MNA Christiane Pelchat.
Simon Jolin-Barrette's lack of appetite
On Tuesday, government leader Simon Jolin-Barrette also showed little appetite for the QS bill to be passed, even though he agreed to have it called.
He pointed out that the debate on the protection of senior tenants had already been held as part of Bill 31 on housing, and that the government's position had not changed.
During the study of Bill 31, QS and the Parti québécois (PQ) tabled amendments to improve the Françoise David law. The Minister of Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, rejected them, arguing that her bill already contained several measures to protect people from eviction, regardless of their age.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that the appeal of the QS bill had been the subject of behind-the-scenes negotiations between Simon Jolin-Barrette and QS leader Alexandre Leduc.
QS was committed to accelerating the passage of Bill 15 on the health-care system, and in exchange, the government would call Bill 198, Leduc said.
The QS leader also said he hoped to convince his CAQ opponents to adopt his bill. The Liberals and the PQ have already come out in favour.
The Françoise David law stipulates that a senior over 70 with a very low income who has lived in his or her dwelling for more than 10 years cannot be evicted. The aim of the new QS bill is to broaden the criteria to include people aged 65 and over who have been living in their home for at least five years.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 27, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
AS IT HAPPENED Wildfire reaches Jasper Wednesday night, causes 'significant loss'
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.