(La Malbaie) The Parti Québécois accuses the Legault government of being intoxicated by power and urges it to prove the contrary by putting an end to the state of health emergency. However, the adoption of a law would be required to achieve this, say the PQ.
In a closing press briefing of the party’s presessional caucus in the Charlevoix region, the new PQ parliamentary leader, Joël Arseneau, affirmed that the epidemiological situation in Quebec “does not justify the government having the extraordinary powers it possesses. presently ”, a position he had already shared in recent weeks.
“We can no longer speak of a health emergency today. We can talk about the continuation of our operations within the framework of a new normal […] which requires a certain number of rules that must no longer be adopted by decree, but by the regular process of passing laws, ”said Mr. Arseneau.
“The lifting of the state of health emergency must be associated with the adoption of a law which will allow a certain number of measures to be kept, for a certain time, to live with the virus”, finally specified Mr. Arseneau. .
An “exhilarating” power
The state of health emergency, renewed under the Public Health Act, confers extraordinary powers on the Government of Quebec in its management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last spring, François Legault said he was going to put an end to it during the summer, once the vaccination campaign is well advanced.
However, the Prime Minister changed his mind during the summer with the emergence of a fourth wave of coronavirus infection due to the Delta variant. He said in late August that the health emergency would be extended longer than expected.
“The power is exhilarating [et] the government seems hesitant to let go of the extraordinary powers that the law on public health grants it, ”lamented Joël Arseneau on Wednesday.
Back to the Blue Room
In anticipation of the resumption of parliamentary work next week, the leader of the Parti Québécois, Martin Ouellet, affirmed that his party had demonstrated during its presessional caucus “that we wanted to become a force in the National Assembly”.
One year before the election, the PQ have seven members of Parliament and a leader who is still not elected. In front of some activists gathered in a bar in La Malbaie on Tuesday, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon gave a speech during which he recalled that he would be present on the ground over the coming months to talk about the themes cherished by the party, starting with the protection of the environment.