CTV News Montreal

Updated: Mon Jan. 23 2012 1:58:12 PM

ctvmontreal.ca

MONTREAL — The ADQ is no more; long live the CAQ.

Coalition Avenir Quebec leader Francois Legault is gratefully taking new blood and new cash from the now-defunct ADQ and charging ahead with his new plan for Quebec.

However the Coalition Action Quebec is still short on details on how to improve the province.

At a news conference the morning after 70 per cent of Action Democratique du Quebec members who cast a ballot voted in favour of merging with the CAQ, Legault dismissed news that just over half of existing ADQ members bothered to vote.

"When you try to put together people from the right and the left, that people from the extremes don't want to be part of that," he said.

Regardless of how many members voted, the merger is important to the CAQ for one important reason: the ADQ currently has official party status within the National Assembly despite its small roster of elected MNAs, and as such is eligible for extra funding for researchers and expenses.

The merger means that when the next sitting of the National Assembly begins on Feb. 14, the CAQ will have nine sitting members.

In addition, the CAQ now has a new president; 37-year-old former Procter & Gamble engineer Dominique Anglade.

"I think Quebecers deserve better," she said, explaining why she chose the CAQ.

While celebrating the merger, Legault reiterated that the CAQ is not a covertly separatist party, and that he will be trying to entice anglophone voters.

"It's about time that we stop taking them for granted like the Liberal party did for many years," said Legault.

"It's about time that they have an alternative, and I think we can be this alternative because it's very clear. I said it very clearly; I am coming back in politics for 10 years. I have no intention working on the national question or on the sovereignty of Quebec."

Once again Legault pledged that the CAQ would concentrate on improving schools, integrating immigrants, and getting every Quebec their own family doctor, but did not provide any concrete examples of how these goals could be achieved.

The ADQ's founding father Mario Dumont said the CAQ may struggle for a pair of reasons.

Dumont said the apparent rift with some ADQ members who did not show up to vote, or voted against the merger, could spell trouble for the fledgling party, especially if dissenters form their own party.

"If they create another option, which could just get 5, 6, or 7 per cent of voters from the right. That would subtract directly from Francois Legault," he said.

Dumont also feels the CAQ may be peaking too soon.

"Pauline Marois is not finished; she could have a rebound. And the Liberals are never finished," he said.

Comments are now closed for this story

LorraineH
@Angloman - because all of these former federalists are defending the CAQ policies which includes a 10 year wait before deciding on the separation issue.

Does this mean they have decided federalism for Quebec may not be the answer or are they hoping for a coup when the actual question comes up in 10 years?

I haven't heard one of them say that they while they agreed with the majority of CAQ policies they didn't agree with Quebec Separation now or in 10 years.

Angloman
@LorraineH

I dunno Lorraine, why wouldn't the former member of the Federal Liberal party, Dominique Anglade, who is currently PRESIDENT OF THE CAQ take over the party.

Yeesh. Conspiracists. Just as bad as separatist racists.

R.
CAQ = Canadians Against Quebec. This is just another political party now telling Quebecers what they want to hear in order to get elected BUT, should it gain any power, like all the others, they'll go ahead and do exactly what they want. If anyone thinks that Seperation is not on their agenda, I've got a couple of local bridges to sell them!!

LorraineH
Legault feels that by not talking about Separatism for 10 years the CAQ is not a covertly Separatist party. Not talking or hiding something you plan to do in the future, is a covert action. When he leaves in 10 years who will be running the CAQ – one of the current Separatist members?

@FromtheUSA - I'd worry more about the US which hasn't been doing so well lately. Quebec isn’t a nation and Quebecers don't have to be accepted into our wonderful nation called Canada. They are already an important part of Canada despite some of them (not a majority) constantly whining about being treated unfairly. Whining about money for which they already get more from Canada than they give because we are a 'have not' province. Whining while setting up unnecessary Quebec embassies. Whining while joining International Committees already represented by Canada; Whining because everyone in the rest of Canada isn’t bilingual while they aren’t and won’t allow their children to learn enough English to become bilingual. Whining while they protect a culture, with restrictive legislation that denies rights to others, while immigrants can protect their culture and language without any government intervention.

Separatists are special people – they want everything but fail to realize they can’t survive on money generated solely within Quebec. This money, especially after the rest of the Head Offices, along with those non-Separatists that can afford to leave go, isn’t going to pay for much. Quebec doesn’t have anything that the rest of North America or the world can’t get elsewhere cheaper than acquiescing to the myriad of Quebec French laws any company will have to follow to do business in the “Nation of Quebec”. Contracts, Trade Agreements, etc. would have to be re-negotiated and Quebec wouldn’t be negotiating from a position of strength.

Angloman
@Kelly

Don't bother hunting for conspiracies or the bogeyman will get you.

BOOGEDY BOOGEDY BOOGEDY!

Separation is dead. That's the only reason Legault is doing so well.

Seriously, if he so much as says the word sovereignty his party will nosedive in the polls.

Oh wait! Didn't new recruit Francois Rebello do just that? Well what happened -- oH HO HO! The CAQ dropped EIGHT FRIGGING POINTS in the polls.

*******

It's time for anglos to stop being so goddamn sanctimonious. Federalists have won. Those who want a strong economy in Quebec have won. Now let's work together with our francophone confreres in a post-post-modern way and bury the hatchet.

FromTheUSA
Mr Quebec
WHEW .... Good Show CTV
Maybe Mr. John can tell us how he will keep Canada together. Giving that he knows so much about how people in the two countries think. Are Quebec and Canada not two nations? Mr. John how do you expect to greet the Quebecois and except them into you wonderful nation called Canada?

jaycee
Gee...QAC backwards is QAC: Quebec au Canada..!!! Who would have thought...

Kelly Willis
Mmmm with Ducceppe's legal problems and having to quickly exit Quebec politics it's all starting to make sense why Legault suddenly popped up. This is all by design and smelling with Ducceppe's deception involvement to send Legault in for himself by proxy. The deception never stops in Quebec separatist camps..does it?

Diana 3
I hear Duceppe is in some potentially "legal" trouble on how he was using his parlimentary budget? Does it just stop with him or is this widespread amongst other Quebec separatists as well?

Joe Szentirmay
Mr.Legault, you need to cut the welfare state which will in turn be positive for the finances of Quebec.Then tax cuts are essential!And the elimination of the various language laws is a must.Every Quebecer should be ashamed of the repressive legislation on the books.Lastly,what are you going to do about the culture of corruption in this province?

Mr John.
WHEW....Good show"CTV"!! The two top news stories are about the radicals in the
province...The first thing the rest of the country will see and think is that the whole population of Quebec are like this bunch of nutcases....Thanks so much !!

Anthony
Caca ideas from the Caq party.