MONTREAL -- On Oct. 1, 2019, Premier Francois Legault and his Coalition Avenir Quebec government took pride in holding power for one year.
Legault said that he was proud of what his government had accomplished in the past year, and said that he feels many Quebecers share his feelings of pride
His feelings are likely correct, since an Angus Reid poll from September indicates that Legault is the most popular premier in the province, with a 64 percent approval rating.
and optimism.
His government's election was a seismic shift in Quebec politics, being the first time since 1970 that neither the Liberal party nor the Parti Quebecois held power.
However a sizeable minority of Quebecers do not support the CAQ's policy decisions, and some of his legislation has drawn criticism across Canada and from the United Nations.
On Monday Calgary City Council passed a unanimous motion condemning Bill 21 for creating discrimination.
Tuesday morning opposition parties presented their evaluation of the CAQ government, and they were harsh.
Interim Liberal leader Pierre Arcand said the CAQ knows it has not managed to make inroads with anglophones or allophones.
"They know that the English community doesn't like their stance on many issues and especially regarding Bill 21, as you are well aware, so of course. They didn't take that into account. So there are many things that they have done that really seem to divide Quebecers basically," said Arcand.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois of Quebec Solidaire said that Legault makes decisions based on politics, not policy.
"This is a dogmatic government. It's a government that is obsessed with certain subjects that Mr. Legault holds dear even though facts, experts, and the people on the ground all say these are terrible ideas," said Nadeau-Dubois.
In particular, Nadeau-Dubois pointed out how the CAQ continues to support a third link between Quebec City and Levis even while claiming it will reduce pollution.
Nadeau-Dubois also criticized how the CAQ is forging ahead with pre-kindergarten for all, despite the added cost compared to full-day daycare, and recent reports that 70 percent of students in pre-kindergarten were in daycare.
