Attacked on his left and his right, François Legault found himself on the defensive during the first debate of the leaders of the electoral marathon. The outgoing Prime Minister spent a bad quarter of an hour, at the insistence of Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and Éric Duhaime, without being knocked out.
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The leaders of the various political parties arrived pumped up for the first televised confrontation of the campaign in the studios of TVA in Montreal. If François Legault had already played the game, the other four chefs were in their very first experience. But their attacks hit home.
The tone rose from the first minutes of the oratory contest between the debaters about the 3rd link between Quebec and Lévis. Attacked by the Conservative, the head of the CAQ had to defend his project for an under-river tunnel and above all, studies that the government does not want to make public. According to François Legault, we cannot reveal analyzes that were carried out before the pandemic and the advent of teleworking.
“I want you to look Quebecers in the eye. Are you going to disseminate the studies or not? People have the right to know before October 3, mocked the former radio host champion of murderous lines. We paid for them, we want to read them before voting!”.
After a first salvo from Éric Duhaime, the outgoing Prime Minister had to take a second from PQ player Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. The 3rd link will never be made and everyone knows it, he chanted, accusing the Legault government of leading solely according to the polls. It is to wonder if the architects of their tunnel, it is the organizers of RadioX , says the chief of the PQ.
Choc Duhaime-GND
A brutal shock also opposed the solidarity Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois and the conservative Éric Duhaime, at the antipodes on the political spectrum. The former radio host criticized the left-wing party for indulging in a real tax striptease during the election campaign.
Stung, the co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire replied tit for tat that the Conservative Party had no concern for the environment. “Mr. Duhaime, introduce yourself as governor of Texas, you will really be in your place,” said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.
But the CAQ leader also got involved. Whenever the opportunity arose, François Legault brandished the bogeyman of “orange taxes” under a united government.
The worst confiner!
The subject of the pandemic gave rise to a full-bodied exchange between the libertarian Éric Duhaime and the outgoing Prime Minister, at the helm of the government which had to manage the crisis.
François Legault accused his vis-à-vis of having taken irresponsible positions during the COVID-19 epidemic because of his opposition to health measures. “I did not come into politics to close businesses and put on masks. I did this to save lives,” he told his rival.
The Conservative leader did not disappoint supporters. “How come you were the worst confiner on the continent?” retorted the curator.
François Legault was also attacked on the tongue by the PQ leader. “Never in the history of Quebec has there been such a rapid decline as in the four years of the CAQ,” PSPP reported.
Anglade compared to Charest
The Liberal leader tried in vain to go on the attack against her united rival, who is grabbing votes in the Liberal electorate on the Island of Montreal. Dominique Anglade accused Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois of wanting to spend public money that should be used to fight mental health to promote Quebec sovereignty.
Like a boomerang, the Dominique Anglade charge turned against her. “You remind me of Jean Charest, who used independence every time he felt he was going to lose a debate!” replied his opponent, tit for tat.
Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois accused the Liberal leader of not having lived up to the role of leader of the official opposition, a seat that solidarity covets.
An exchange on academic freedom also led to an unexpected moment when Paul St-Pierre Plamondon challenged Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois to name Pierre Vallières’ book. The solidarity leader then lip serviced the words: “White Negroes of America”.
With the collaboration of Patrick Bellerose
Here are the best exchanges
“People wonder why the Liberal Party hasn’t been a good Official Opposition for 4 years. […] You speak exactly like François Legault. You have the same vision of Quebec. Besides, you are a former member of the CAQ. Everything is in everything »
- Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois
” Nope. Everything is not in everything Mr. Nadeau-Dubois »
“Mr. Duhaime, introduce yourself as governor of Texas, you’ll really be in your place. »
- Gabrielle Nadeau-Dubois
“I, Mr. Nadeau-Dubois, will never insult you, then I will never tell you to show up in Cuba, ok? I would like that we remain respectful. »
“You spend a lot of time talking about the middle class, but the truth is that you don’t know the middle class […]»
- Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois
“When you say you’re going to put a $4,800 orange tax on a Toyota Camry and a $7,500 orange tax on someone who buys a family van, if it’s not middle class, who is it? »