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New Quebec Premier will be Christine Fréchette

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Quebec has a new premier.

Christine Fréchette won the race to become the leader of the province’s governing party, the Coalition Avenir Quebec.

According to multiple reports, Fréchette won the leadership race on Sunday with nearly 58 per cent of the votes, beating runner up Bernard Drainville.

The former premier, Francois Legault, lead the party since it was founded in 2011. Under his leadership, they won two consecutive majority governments, first in 2018 and again in 2022.

He announced he was stepping in January.

Quebec is also heading to a provincial election in the fall.

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Quebec Premier resigns

During a news conference on Wednesday in the National Assembly, Francois Legault announced he was stepping down.

Legault expressed that Quebecers want change.

He also stated he will remain as the party leader until the Coalition Avenir Quebec party chooses an interim leader.

Legault was first elected in 2018.

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Official Languages Act Modernization Underway

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The federal government is reintroducing a bill to modernize the Official Languages Act.

The last major reforms occurred in 1988.

Official Languages Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor says there will also be a priority to work with indigenous communities to preserve and protect their languages.

“The modernized legislation will therefore explicitly state that it must not affect the strengthening, revitalization and reappropriation of Indigenous languages.”

Petitpas Taylor says measures will also be strengthened to support official language minorities.

“I want to reassure English speaking Quebecers, these efforts will not be at your expense. We will always continue to support the vitality of English speaking minorities in Quebec.”

She also says changes to the Act will address the decline of French in Canada.

A recent government-commissioned poll showed most Canadians support the Official Languages Act and bilingualism.

The bill was tabled last June but was never debated due to the election call.

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Quebec Liberal MP Criticizes Pandemic Policies

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A Quebec Liberal MP has criticized his own government’s approach to the pandemic claiming it stigmatizes and divides people.

Joel Lightbound, who represents the Quebec City area riding of Louis-Hébert, has been hearing many concerns recently and he feels it’s time to respond to them.

“I’ve heard from parents worried to see their kids sink into depression and slowly lose their joy of living. I’ve heard from pediatricians in tears telling me about their young patients despair, anxiety, isolation as well as the stunning increase in school dropouts they are observing.”

Lightbound says Canadians don’t understand pandemic measures anymore and governments aren’t explaining them.

He says people are finding it more difficult to tell where public health stops and politics begins.

“I’ve heard from a lot of people wondering why just a year ago we were all united – all in this together. Now that we have one of the most vaccinated populations in the world, we’ve never been so divided.”

Lightbound believes the government needs to quickly provide a roadmap with clear and measurable targets to lift all pandemic restrictions.

Although he thinks it’s time the trucker convoy in Ottawa ends, he feels government should not dismiss concerns about pandemic policies or demonize those who voice them.

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Trudeau Responds To Quebec’s Tax On The Unvaccinated

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The federal government says it still wants to see the details of Quebec’s proposed tax on the unvaccinated.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government has taken its own steps to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

“We have been clear at the federal level about how important it is to get vaccinated,” states Trudeau.

“We brought in very strong measures to ensure that travelers across the country need to be fully vaccinated, people coming into the country need to be fully vaccinated, the federal public service needs to be fully vaccinated.”

Trudeau says the details of Quebec’s proposed tax are important to make sure it complies with the Canada Health Act.

“Like people across the country, we’ve received that proposal with interest by the Quebec government, but there are a lot more details that we have to hear on how this would work before I can comment on it.”

Trudeau points out that vaccine mandates do work and that’s one way they are encouraging more people to get immunized against COVID-19.

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Local Fire Crews Headed To Quebec

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Quebec is receiving some local help from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

60 regional crew members are heading over to the neighbouring province to help deal with their fire problem.

The province is also providing equipment, pilots, a waterbomber, a birddog aircraft and other personnel.

MNRF Information Officer Chris Marchand says at the moment there are only four fires in our region which are held or under control, so they can provide the support.

The fire hazard is mostly low in Kenora-Rainy River.

Several fires are burning in Quebec, the blaze north of Lac Saint-Jean is the province’s largest one at the moment at an estimated 72,000 hectares in size.

The blazes have destroyed property but no lives have been lost.

(Photo Credit: Mike Baker)

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PM Reveals New Rule For Travellers

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Stronger rules are coming into effect tonight for those Canadians returning from abroad.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says those travellers will need to explain to officials how they will be quarantined.

“If asymptomatic travellers can’t explain a credible quarantine plan they will be required to quarantine in a hotel,” Trudeau said.

The new rule comes into effect at midnight tonight.

The Prime Minister also announced 20 million dollars for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Trudeau says the money will help ensure our food supply is safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This will mean we can build more capacity for more overtime and extra shifts for inspectors to fill the demand. It also means we can invest in things like hiring and training to get more people on board,” Trudeau said.

During the media’s time to ask questions of the Prime Minister, Trudeau came under fire for his decision to visit his family who is now living out of a cottage in Harrington Lake in Gatineau, Quebec.

Justin Trudeau says he told the media last week his plans to visit during the Easter long weekend but didn’t offer an explanation as to why it was ok for him to do so and not for others.

“After three weeks of my family living up in Harrington and me working here, I went to join them for Easter, and we continue to follow all instructions from public health authorities,” Trudeau added.

Many on social media are criticizing the Prime Minister for telling Canadians to stay home and not to visit family that does not live under the same roof.

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Via Rail Announces Layoffs

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Nearly 1,000 Via Rail workers have received temporary layoff notices from the company.

It comes as opponents of a pipeline project in British Columbia continue to set up rail blockades across the country.

“We have done everything to mitigate the impact on our employees and our passengers. At this point, we believe we have made the fairest and most reasonable decision with the proposed temporary suspension plan,” said Cynthia Garneau, president and CEO of Via Rail, in a statement.

Via Rail cancelled much of its service across Canada last week due to the blockades.

Trains resumed Thursday in parts of Quebec and southwestern Ontario, but plans to restart service between Montréal and Québec City were scrapped due to a new blockade.

“This general interruption is an unprecedented situation in our history. In 42 years of existence, it is the first time that VIA Rail, a public intercity passenger rail service, has to interrupt most of its services across the country,” said Garneau.

Via Rail said it hopes for a “decisive resolution” between those involved so service can resume as soon as possible.

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Two Quebec Residents Arrested In Dryden

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Two people from Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec have found trouble with the law in Dryden.

City Police received a complaint of a motorist drinking alcohol while parked at a local restaurant on Monday.

Officers searched the vehicle and found a plastic bag which contained 101 Methamphetamine pills.

Police say Maxime Boudreault-Faucher faces a total of three charges including possession for the purpose of trafficking, failing to comply with a Probation Order and failing to comply with Conditions of an Undertaking.

Police add Emeline Rochette faces one drug trafficking charge.