The Quebec legislature resumes Tuesday for a spring session that will probably be dominated by the threat of a commercial war with the United States and a renewed approach in secularism and identity.
On the eve of the return of the National Assembly, the Minister of Imigration, Jean-François Roberge, announced that the Government will present a new bill on integration, focused on “adherence to common culture” and the values that include the values that include Democracy, gender equality and secularism.
“For the first time in our history, we will define who we are and how we want to continue evolving as a nation,” he said in a video published Monday night to social networks.
He said that the legislation will be in the same line as the controversial law of secularism of the government and its review of the French language law.
Even so, the threat of the promised tariff of 25 percent of the goods imported from the imported goods of Canada de Canada as the session is launched.
Prime Minister François Legault for weeks has been playing the alarm on possible tariffs, warning that they could cost Quebec 100,000 jobs.
Recently, Legault has made comparisons with Covid-19 pandemia, urging Quebece to be together and promising to protect them “at all costs.”
He has suggested several retaliation measures, including the restriction of American access to public contracts, and has reflected on calling Quebec snowcase that does not travel to Florida.
Legault may be waiting for the threat of the rate to restore part of the brightness that has worn its coalition of the Government of Avenir Québec from the pandemic, when it was the most popular prime minister in the country and enjoyed approval ratings of up to 77 percent.
In a retreat from Caucus last week, it was presented as a safe bet to lead the province through the “Trump crisis”.
“This offers an opportunity for CAQ to relax with the issue of the economy,” said Pascal Mailhot, a former Legault political advisor.
“When a threat occurs like this, it generally leads people to want to resort to government and avoid agitation.”
Discuss sovereignty
Legault has also taken the opportunity to aim the Sovereign Pari Québécois, who has been leading in the surveys for more than a year.
The leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has promised to celebrate a referendum on independence by 2030, but Legault told supporters last week that sovereignty is the incorrect priority in a moment of uncertainty.
“This is not the time to divide,” he said. “This is the time to work together and work with the rest of Canada to win the battle against Mr. Trump.”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, says that the objective of the government is to avoid the threatened tariffs of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, without publicly saying what the plan is imposed.
It is not clear until now if that message is resonating.
A Leger survey last week showed the PQ with the support of 34 percent of respondents, compared to 25 percent for the government party.
But the survey also linked support for the independence of around 31 percent, slightly from previous surveys that had put it around 35 percent.
Mailhot said that the possible United Canadian crisis could “destabilize” the PQ and undermine its popularity.
The opposition liberals have also joined the attack, with the interim leader Marc Tanguay alleging that Trump’s threats are a clear argument against sovereignty.
ST-PIERRE PLAMONDON has not withdrawn his support for independence and said that last week he would not be influenced by the “turbulence” of the Trump administration.
But he also acknowledged that it will be a “challenge” to hold the Government on national issues with all eyes appealed to the White House.
Imminent deficit
The need to support Quebec companies in front of tariffs could throw a key in the government plan to eliminate their registration $ 11 billion deficit.
Legault granted last week that it can no longer guarantee that Quebec will achieve a balanced budget in fiscal year 2029-30, as planned.
“I think it hurts in terms of their brand,” said political analyst Rudy Husny. “They were chosen by saying that they are the best managers in the economy … and now it’s like the greatest deficit in history.”
Legault clearly plans to make secularism another important topic this spring.
The government has been investigating 17 Quebec schools after alleged violations of the secularism rules of the province.
The investigation was affected by a government report, published in October, claiming a toxic climate created by a group of teachers, many of North African Descent, in a primary school in Montreal.
Since then, accusations have emerged about Muslim religious practices in other public schools, and Legault has affirmed that teachers are introducing “Islamist religious concepts.”
In December, Education Minister Bernard Drainville said the government would have a new legislation to strengthen secularism in schools.
Legault then was a step further, saying that he would like Prohibition prayer In public places.
Meanwhile, provincial liberals await a Leadership career It will revitalize its base and attract new support, especially from Francophone voters outside Montreal.
The party suffered its worst defeat in decades during the last elections and has been without a permanent leader since 2022.
The former federal cabinet minister, Pablo Rodríguez, is the alleged main in the race.
Charles Milliard, former head of the Quebec Chambers of Commerce, also has support within the Liberal Caucus.
Party members will choose their new leader on June 14.