CAQ, Liberals tied in Quebec, poll shows

MONTREAL • François Legault tried to divert attention from his immigration policies Tuesday as a report from a research institute undercut his campaign rhetoric on newcomers and a new poll placed his Coalition Avenir Québec in a statistical tie with the Liberals.

Following Monday night’s English-language debate in which he was attacked for wanting to expel immigrants who fail to pass a values and French-language test, Legault came out hard against Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard.

The Liberals can’t defend their record on education and health care, Legault told reporters. Furthermore, the Coalition leader brought back a thus far under-used weapon against Couillard: corruption allegations.

“(Couillard) is trying to run a fear campaign,” Legault said. “He doesn’t want to talk about the investigation into corruption into his party.”

Corruption scandals have dogged Couillard’s government since he won the 2014 election, primarily for alleged misdeeds committed by the previous Liberal government under his predecessor, Jean Charest.

Couillard dismissed the allegations he was running on fear. “I’m the one making people afraid?” Couillard asked rhetorically. “I think the people who are afraid are those would be subjected to a (French-language) test and then expulsion.”

The Liberal leader reiterated his past comments about the Coalition leader, some of which he used during Monday’s debate.

“Legault doesn’t talk about immigrants in a positive light,” Couillard said. “But these people help Quebec.”

Earlier, a Montreal-based research institute released a report revealing immigrants are having an easier time finding work and more of them are choosing to remain in the province.

The study said the unemployment rate for immigrants between the ages of 25 and 54 has declined dramatically since January, from 8.1 per cent to six per cent in August, and that 84 per cent of newcomers who arrived in Quebec in 2010 were still in the province by 2015.

Also on Tuesday, Mainstreet Research released a poll conducted Sept. 14-15 that surveyed 1,665 Quebecers, indicating the Coalition was at 29.1 per cent and the Liberals at 28.6 per cent. The Parti Québécois came in third at 21.5 per cent and Quebec solidaire had 17.1 per cent in the poll.