Legault suspends election campaign 'until further notice' due to Hurricane Fiona
Outgoing Quebec Premier François Legault said he is suspending his campaign "until further notice" as his government is keeping a close eye on Hurricane Fiona, which is headed for eastern Quebec.
Environment Canada meteorologists have said the powerful storm could cause "extreme and even dangerous" weather conditions for the Magdalen Islands, as well as the eastern Gaspé Peninsula and the Lower North Shore, as the system heads straight for Atlantic Canada.
As the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) leader wrapped up day 26 of the election campaign, Legault said in a tweet Friday evening that he was also cancelling his campaign activities scheduled for Saturday.
"Hurricane Fiona appears to be heading straight for the Islands. We hope for the best, but the whole government is ready," Legault wrote.
"Know that all of Quebec is with you."
As shown on this map, winds gusting up to 160 km/h are expected as Fiona makes landfall on the East Coast.
Legault said he was in contact with his deputy premier and the government's secretary general as they monitor the storm.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire (QS), said in a tweet that he is cancelling a press conference scheduled for Saturday and that he will "reassess our schedule as the situation evolves."
BRACING FOR 'HISTORIC STORM'
By Friday night, parts of Nova Scotia and P.E.I. were already plunged into darkness as thousands of homes and business lost power due to high winds.
"It’s certainly going to be a historic, extreme event for Eastern Canada," said Bob Robichaud, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, on Friday.
The hurricane left almost one million homes and businesses without power in Puerto Rico as of Friday morning as it continued to track north up the Atlantic. On Friday, the entirety of Nova Scotia and P.E.I. were under hurricane warnings. Parts of New Brunswick and Labrador are also under a hurricane warning. In Nova Scotia, upwards of 200 millimetres of rain is expected by Saturday.
In eastern Quebec, the most intense weather conditions are expected to be felt Friday night into Saturday evening on the Magdalen Islands and the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula.
Weather warnings issued by Environment Canada for the Magdalen Islands said wind speeds could reach up to 150 km/h in the hardest-hit areas that could cause "widespread damage."
Shorelines in the area could see waves between six and eight metres tall.
"Similar storms in the past have resulted in prolonged utility outages, hazardous driving conditions and toppling of high-sided vehicles," the weather agency said.
"High winds may cause downed trees or toss loose objects."
The Lower North Shore will be hit hardest by the storm beginning Saturday morning into Sunday morning.
The CAQ chief was the second party leader to announce he was temporarily pausing his campaign. Parti Québécois (PQ) Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Friday he was experiencing "flu-like symptoms" and was suspending his campaign to recover.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
It's the biggest election in history. Here's why few Indians in Canada will take part
In the Indian general election that gets underway on Friday, almost a billion people are eligible to vote, but a vast majority of the overseas Indian community in Canada won't be casting a ballot.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Juror dismissed in Trump hush money trial as prosecutors ask for former president to face contempt
Prosecutors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump asked Thursday for the former president to be held in contempt and fined because of seven social media posts that they said violated a judge's gag order barring him from attacking witnesses.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.