André Bachand “an asset” for the CAQ in Richmond
Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) leader Francois Legault was in Sherbrooke on Monday morning to confirm the candidacy of André Bachand in the Richmond riding in this coming
“Andre is well known in the region,” Legault said, calling Bachand both an exceptional candidate and an asset for the party. “I am very proud that he agreed to be with us as the CAQ candidate in Richmond during this time of necessary change in Quebec.”
Bachand is the former Mayor of Asbestos and former Prefect of the des Sources Regional County Municipality (MRC). He was also the Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament for Richmond-arthabaska from 1997 to 2003 before he left that party to sit as an independent. Although he lost his seat in the 2004 election, he went on to serve as Canada’s UNESCO Ambassador under the Harper Government.
The CAQ leader spoke of Bachand’s choice to run for the party as a natural choice and praised the candidate’s nationalist roots and connection to his region. Legault pointed to his new candidate’s political and professional pedigree as a clear sign that the CAQ is serious about establishing itself in the Estire for the long term, and said that it is likely that Bachand would quickly rise to an important position in a future CAQ government.
“This is a first step,” Bachand said, explaining that his discussions with the CAQ go back to the spring of 2017. He praised the party platform, calling it seductive and simple to understand, and joined his voice to his leader’s in saying that there is a need for significant change in the province of Quebec. He argued that the party is looking to put more control in local hands, even if that is not likely to be a simple task. “The work that needs to be done is enormous,” he added, “and that is why we need the public’s support.”
Asked about the Richmond riding specifically, the candidate put his focus on economic needs.
“The riding needs some help,” Bachand said. “We need to decentralize a lot of tools for the people to be more responsible vis-a-vis the economy.”
Although both politicians were brief on specifics, the Richmond candidate highlighted diversification of the economy in the Asbestos area as a key priority in addition to the development of better high-speed internet access and improvements to the safety of route 257.
Looking at the bigger picture, Legault used part of Monday’s announcement to emphasize his party’s position on education and ensuring better services while lowering school tax rates. He highlighted the CAQ plan to make kindergarten for four-year-olds available for everyone and the addition of another five hours per week of programming in all high schools to allow for more sports, more homework help, and more artistic activities.
“We can both invest in education and put more money in Quebecers’ pockets,” Legault said, arguing that a stronger provincial economy will will increase government revenue and allow more funding for schools. “It will be a key issue in the next electoral campaign.”
Asked how the CAQ is looking to address the needs of Quebec’s English speaking communities in light of the Liberal Government’s recent decision to create a secretariat for English speaking Quebecers, Legault expressed a general feeling that looking at the needs of English communities and French communities separately is not the right approach.
“I think that the priorities of the English speaking Quebecers are the same as the French speaking Quebecers. They want to have good jobs; better paid jobs. They want to have investment in education. They want to have a healthcare system that is more efficient.” The party leader said. “The last thing we want is to restart the battle about Bill 101 or the situation of language in Quebec; I think really we need to focus on economy, education, and healthcare.”
On the secretariat specifically, Legault said that a CAQ government would be open to seeing its work continue provided that there was some proof the office is actually doing something constructive.
“What I can say right now is that there is no concrete measure regarding this secretariat,” he said “right now what we want to know concretely is whether this is only marketing or are they suggesting some concrete measures.”
The CAQ leader pointed out that Quebec’s English speakers already have rights allowing access to healthcare and education in English, but stated that if the secretariat can be proven a useful body for ensuring the respect of those rights, then the CAQ could support its continued existence in some form.
“If it can help have a better relationship with the Anglophones, I am open to that,” he said.
Recognizing that the riding he plans to represent has a significant Englishspeaking population, Bachand said that he wants to be clear about the fact that English speaking people have a place in a Caq-governed Quebec.
“We need to reassure the Anglophone community that they will not lose any power,” the candidate said, speaking specifically to the CAQ plan to eliminate school boards in the province.
Bachand said that he is looking forward to meeting members of the local English community this coming weekend during Saint Patrick’s Day festivities in Richmond.
Legault, meanwhile, suggested that he would be back in the region soon to announce more candidates as a part of his party’s commitment to establishing itself in an area long considered to be a Liberal stronghold.
“We have one riding now,” he said. “Our objective on the night of October first is that we will have seven.”