"The majority of Quebecers think that the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has done the best campaign," François Legault said Saturday, responding to "some analysts" who he said characterized his positions as racist.

"We are where Quebecers are, not some analysts who associate it with racism, to protect our language and our values."

He was at a meeting with municipal officials and entrepreneurs in Chibougamau.

In a news conference afterwards, he would not say who accused him of being racist. He also would not specify what Quebec values were.

In Chibougamau, the CAQ leader also insinuated that "we have associated (his positions) with all sorts of things," refusing to say what he was referring to.

Nevertheless, he boasted that he "had the courage to say openly" that we must defend "our language and our values," even if it led "some people" to criticize him.

"There are people who have tried to make amalgams with the fact that I want to defend Quebec values and the French language."

The CAQ leader responded to columnists saying he ran a bad campaign.

Legault maintains that, on the contrary, he is satisfied with his campaign, that he is not angry and that he is in good spirits.

Legault campaigned Friday and Saturday in Ungava, Quebec's largest riding, where he made several stops Friday.

His incumbent Denis Lamothe is facing Quebec solidaire (QS) Cree candidate Maïté Labrecque-Saganash, and Liberal Inuk candidate Tunu Napartuk, a first in the province.

The CAQ leader wanted to mobilize his supporters by telling them that nothing is won until election day.

NO IMMIGRATION REFERENDUM FOR 6 MONTHS

Legault is not ruling out anything, but he says he has no plans to repatriate federal immigration powers.

In a newss scrum Saturday in Chibougamau, he said he was open to the idea, if he forms the government again on Monday.

This could be a sectoral referendum, that is to say, asking the population to support him in his move to give Quebec more control over its immigration.

"It is not in the plans, but I am open," he said. "So there is no plan to do this in six months. Being open, it means that it is not excluded, but there is no plan, no sequence planned."

The CAQ government wants to control the flow of temporary foreign workers as well as family reunification.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 1, 2022.