Coalition Avenir Québec leadership candidates Christine Fréchette and Bernard Drainville will square off for a second and final time Saturday in Laval.
The debate will focus on health and social services, immigration and identity, public safety and housing, as well as education.
Both candidates unveiled proposals this week aimed at improving Quebec’s health-care system.
Fréchette suggested creating virtual waiting rooms so non-priority patients could wait at home for care. Drainville, meanwhile, put forward five measures to “modernize” the system, including reimbursing certain private specialist consultations and allowing private-sector physicians to provide services within the public system.
Both Fréchette and Drainville expressed reservations about Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge’s decision to abolish the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ).
The program, aimed at international students and temporary foreign workers, offered a fast track to permanent residency for those who had lived in Quebec for at least two years and met language requirements.
Fréchette, the member for Sanguinet, has promised to revive the program for two years to ease the transition to the Regular Skilled Worker Program.
Drainville, the member for Lévis, has proposed granting grandfather clauses to temporary workers in priority sectors such as health and education, allowing their applications to be assessed under PEQ criteria.
Related:
Both candidates have pledged to maintain the province’s secularism law, Bill 21, as well as Bill 94, which strengthens secularism in schools. The fate of Bill 21 now rests with the Supreme Court of Canada, which heard arguments this week from the Quebec government and its opponents.
On housing, Fréchette wants to help young Quebecers access home ownership by reimbursing the welcome tax for first-time buyers. Drainville shares that goal but proposes advancing up to 20 per cent of the cost of a new home, with the state recovering that share upon resale.
Premier François Legault, while saying he does not want to interfere in the leadership race, welcomed proposals put forward by both candidates on Friday.
“There have been more ideas put forward by the two CAQ candidates than all the ideas from the other parties,” he said on the sidelines of an announcement in Saint-Hyacinthe.
“It’s a bit like my baby, the CAQ, so of course I’m going to take an interest,” he added, confirming he plans to watch the debate.
A previous debate focused on economic issues was held last week in Quebec City, where candidates discussed public finances, infrastructure, transportation, regional development and Canada-U.S. relations.
Between 300 and 400 people are expected to attend Saturday’s debate, which will also be streamed online.
The new CAQ leader and Quebec’s next premier, will be elected on April 12. The party has just under 20,600 members eligible to vote.
Legault confirmed he will complete his term as member for L’Assomption until the next general election.
–With files from Caroline Plante and Thomas Laberge
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
