Legault « convinced » of having the support of Mayor Marchand

The mayor of Quebec will have to wait until early 2023 to see the study on a four-lane tunnel between Quebec and Lévis. But François Legault is « convinced » that he will then have the support of Bruno Marchand to move forward with his 3rd link project.

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The more the days pass, the more there seems to be frying on the line between the outgoing Prime Minister and the number one of the City of Quebec on the subject of the sub-river twin tube.

The head of the CAQ still refuses to say whether or not he needs the support of Bruno Marchand to complete his $6.5 billion tunnel. The mayor, on the other hand, considers that his approval is essential. François Legault, however, promises to involve the municipal administration after the unveiling of the analysis in progress.

“When we will have the study, among other things to know where the tunnel exits on the Quebec side, we will discuss it with the City of Quebec, but our project is clear, a four-lane tunnel downtown to downtown” , he said, passing through the North Shore.

“Mayor Marchand wants to see the studies, we will show him the studies at the beginning of 2023, insisted the outgoing Prime Minister. I am convinced that Mr. Marchand will be in agreement with the project once the studies are submitted.”

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But previous analyzes will not be made public. Like a mantra, François Legault repeats that they do not reflect the current project for a four-lane tunnel from downtown to downtown, which takes into account the increase in teleworking since the pandemic.

Only the current study will be revealed to Quebecers. « We have always, for four years, been transparent and we will continue to be transparent, » he added.

Several boreholes have been drilled over the past two years, as part of the analyzes on the highway link project between Quebec and Lévis. Called to decide on the results of the drilling, the outgoing Prime Minister was reassuring.

« People from the Ministry of Transport tell us that it’s doable, it’s more in the technicalities, how it’s going to be done, how high exactly, what slope, there’s a slope issue, so it’s in being studied,” he said.

Falsehood and terror!

The Conservative leader maintains that the outgoing Prime Minister “lied” to the population about the 3rd link.

On Tuesday, an article by Radio Canada claimed that « comprehensive data » on the feasibility of the third link project has existed for more than a year in a study conducted by the consortium responsible for carrying out the feasibility study.

« I don’t want to call him a liar, but obviously he lied, » Duhaime dropped, again demanding that the government publish the studies and reports that exist on this megaproject.

At the end of the afternoon, Éric Duhaime made a second outing to say this: “Mr. Legault said, and I quote: “Mr. Duhaime will be able to learn about the studies at the same time as the others”. I do not want to learn about the studies before the others, but I want all Quebec voters to have access to the studies before the elections.”

The Conservative leader also insisted on pointing out that the other opposition parties are also demanding that the studies devoted to the 3rd link be made public. Moreover, the latter deplored the fact that he still has not received these reports despite his two requests for access to information filed last week.

“I know there are people who want to talk [au sein du ministère des Transports]. I know there are people who have data in hand. I tell them: ‘There are six days left, it’s now or never,’” he implored.

If these sources are so rare, it is because of « internal terror », he believes. « You know that in Quebec, whistleblowers don’t always have it easy, » he insisted. These people are a little terrified at the moment.

« That’s enough, the secretiveness », proclaims QS

« That’s enough, the secretiveness, » repeated in turn the spokesperson for Quebec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, who was campaigning Tuesday morning in the riding of Jean-Talon.

“We have the right to be for the third link, we have the right to be against the third link. This is an important debate in the Quebec region; but whether we are for or against, people have the right to know how much it will cost, ”recalled Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, for whom it is a question of transparency.

“Me, I am able to respect the opinion of people who want a third link, but hiding figures, hiding information, it is not acceptable. Mr. Legault must make public all the information he has on his project.

Lack of respect

The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, believes that the outgoing Prime Minister, François Legault, cannot be trusted and he is asking him to make the studies on the third link public.

“It is a lack of sincerity and transparency towards the population. It also lacks respect for the intelligence of the population,” he said. “The principle is that these are public funds and that it should be available and transparent […]. It’s not his money. »

– With the collaboration of Taieb Moalla, Marc-André Gagnon and Nicolas Lachance, Parliamentary Office