PQ wants to form common front to put pressure on Ottawa about immigration

PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon speaks at the legislature in Quebec City, Tuesday, March 12, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot)

The Parti Québécois (PQ) says it wants to form a common front of all provincial party leaders to go to Ottawa as soon as possible to demand full immigration powers and more generous health transfers.

In a letter sent Tuesday to provincial party leaders and the minister responsible for Canadian relations, Jean-François Roberge, PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon argues Quebec is "at an impasse."

He says he believes the province must "re-establish a minimum balance of power with Ottawa," which he describes as "vital."

"Given the situation and the urgency to have all our levers to fully control our immigration planning...we believe it is essential to take strong action to re-establish a minimum balance of power for Quebec," he wrote.

Last Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected Quebec Premier François Legault's request to repatriate all immigration powers to the province.

The Legault government says it believes that the influx of asylum seekers is placing Quebec in a critical situation, particularly in the education sector.

At a press conference, Trudeau stated that he would not grant more powers as Quebec already has greater leeway than any other province or territory.

Legault retorted that he was evaluating his options but made no specifications.

On the subject of health care, Ottawa has committed to a much smaller envelope than the Quebec government wanted, with the latter still not signing an agreement.

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on March 19, 2024.