Is CAQ ashamed of its plans in Quebec?

The tendency of the Coquista government to treat the most important project in Quebec history – its structured public transport network – as a shameful disease is astonishing.

The Legalt government said it was of great importance to serve the suburbs in a structured public transport network.

He showed great interest in resisting the project for months, despite the additional costs of millions of dollars.

However, instead of inviting the media to a well-deserved announcement, the CAQ yesterday made a foolish leak to Radio-Canada, detailing service to the suburbs, which reached $ 844 million. Newspaper.

This way, CAQ members do not have to answer questions. Many doubts remain about the real improvement in service to the suburbs since the government took over.

Silent decree

And that’s not all. Last week, instead of announcing with great fans the adoption of the famous government decree that officially launched the light rail project, the government chose to remain silent.

A simple press release was sent to the media for a further short statement.

After a four-month delay, the decree was eagerly awaited, as it would allow the city to call for proposals with the intent to sign the agreement by July 2022.

Then, it came down to the very tough negotiations between the city and the government, which resumed in the public square for months.

The government has tried to justify itself by citing the difficult epidemiological situation in the region. We would like to postpone the press conference for this reason. Minister Gilbolt was using this excuse yesterday.

Different in Montreal

But there are limits to blaming everything on the epidemic. All of this turned out to be untenable, especially when compared to those in Montreal given the government’s attention to major projects in the city of Quebec.

True, a health emergency as the holiday season approaches did not prevent the Quebec Premier from announcing with great fanfare the development of the Riso Express Metropolitan (REM) on the east side at a cost of $ 10 billion.

Montreal benefits from the largest investment in public transport in Quebec history. The announcement came just days before a major reconstruction of the holiday.

On a great flight at a press conference attended by Montreal Myers, Franకోois Legalt said he was very proud. “We aim to have the Silicon Valley of the North,” he exclaims.

The Prime Minister also stressed at the outset the importance of Chantal Rowley, the Minister in charge of the Metropolis, who “asked him exactly every week for two years when the project would finally materialize”. “Bravo for your integrity,” he told her.

Not the same anxiety

We have never come close to feeling the same anxiety towards the minister responsible for the Capital-National region in relation to the structured network and its tramway.

The enthusiasm of Mrs. Gilbolt and her colleagues in the regional Caucasus is still long overdue.