He said the legislation will be in the same vein as the government's controversial secularism law and its overhaul of the French language law. Still, the threat of U. President Donald Trump's promised 25 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada will loom large as the session gets underway. Recently, Legault has drawn comparisons to the COVID pandemic, urging Quebecers to stand together and promising to protect them "at all costs. At a caucus retreat last week, he presented himself as a safe bet to lead the province through the "Trump crisis.
Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to hold a referendum on independence by , but Legault told supporters last week that sovereignty is the wrong priority in a moment of uncertainty. It's unclear so far whether that message is resonating. But the poll also pegged support for independence around 31 per cent, down slightly from previous surveys that had put it around 35 per cent.
Mailhot said the potential Canada-U. St-Pierre Plamondon has not backed off his support for independence and said last week he would not be swayed by the "turbulence" of the Trump administration. Legault conceded last week he can no longer guarantee Quebec will achieve a balanced budget in the fiscal year, as planned. Legault is clearly planning to make secularism another major theme this spring. The probe was touched off by a government report, published in October, alleging a toxic climate created by a group of teachers, many of North African descent, at a Montreal primary school.
Legault then went a step further, saying he would like to ban prayer in public places. Meanwhile, the provincial Liberals are hoping a leadership race will re-energize their base and draw in new support, especially from francophone voters outside Montreal. The party suffered its worst defeat in decades during the last election and has been without a permanent leader since Former federal cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez is the presumed front-runner in the race.
Charles Milliard, former head of the federation of Quebec chambers of commerce, also has support within the Liberal caucus. Party members will choose their new leader on June Check out Village Report - the news that matters most to Canada, updated throughout the day.
