Fréchette asks finance minister to find ways to help Quebecers with gas prices
QUEBEC — Premier-designate Christine Fréchette has handed Finance Minister Eric Girard the job of coming up with ways to ease the financial pressure on Quebecers, including compensation for high gas prices.
Emerging from a meeting with Girard one day before she is to be sworn in as Quebec’s 33rd premier, Fréchette said she has mandated Girard the job of detailing some of the ideas she floated in her leadership campaign.
Among the affordability measures she proposed were dropping the Quebec sales tax on certain consumer products such as cooked meals or hygiene products in grocery stores.
To help Quebecers cope with the soaring cost of gasoline, Fréchette said she would return the additional tax revenues it collects off higher gas prices by reducing the cost of automobile registrations.
And Quebec might start refunding the welcome tax for first-time homebuyers.
But in handing Girard the job, Fréchette seemed to give him more leeway. Girard has already expressed reservations about lowering the provincial excise tax on gasoline, but that was before the leadership race ended and before Ottawa stepped up.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Ottawa will suspend the excise fuel tax on gasoline and diesel until Labour Day as the war in Iran pushes energy costs through the roof.
While gas at the pump in Quebec recently hit $2 a litre, the price of a grocery cart of food has risen by 22 per cent since 2022.
“At a time where everything is more expensive, our responsibility is to ease the pressure on the wallets of Quebecers,” Fréchette said in a statement after their meeting. “And that’s what we are going to do — rapidly.”
Some of the measures could come as early as this week. In his March budget, Girard included $250 million a year for the winner of the Coalition Avenir Québec leadership race to move on some of their promises.
Fréchette Monday said there are no miracle solutions to soaring prices, but said a series of measures can only help.
Fréchette repeated her commitment to ease the pressure on Quebecers later in the day at a meeting with outgoing Premier François Legault where the two discussed the transition of power.
She said she wanted to reassure Quebecers concerned about the tariff war with the United States and world conflicts that have intensified.
“All this has concrete impact on the lives of people: the price of gas, the costs of groceries, the cost of living in general,” Fréchette said standing next to Legault in the hallway of the premier’s office.
“We live in a world that is more and more uncertain. If there is one thing I am certain of, it is that it’s time to unite, to work together and above all not divide ourselves.”
She went on to blast her political rival parties: the Liberals and Parti Québécois which she said want to send Quebec back in time 30 years to the same old sterile debates.
But Fréchette continues to work on putting in place her new government.
On Wednesday she will be sworn in at 4 p.m. in a ceremony at the legislature. She will then chair her first meeting of the CAQ caucus.
Some time next week she will announce the names of her new cabinet. Speculation on that has already begun in the halls of power.
Fréchette has described the always complicated cabinet creation operation as the equivalent of “high-wire acrobatics.”
Fréchette has been close-lipped about who will remain in the new cabinet but did drop a few hints Tuesday morning in an interview with 98.5 FM.
Fréchette confirmed her leadership rival Bernard Drainville would be getting a “significant portfolio.”
Appeasing Drainville is essential if Fréchette hopes to keep the CAQ united after the acrimonious leadership race. He represents the more nationalistic wing of the CAQ, which makes his presence essential.
The two met face-to-face Monday evening.
She also said she would find room for two pro-Drainville ministers: Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette and Health Minister Sonia Bélanger. It is not clear they will have the same jobs.
And questioned by host Patrick Lagacé on the idea of recruiting a prestigious non-elected cabinet minister from the outside, Fréchette said it could be a possibility.
Her meeting with Legault late Tuesday was marked by emotion and nostalgia for both. Legault greeted her in the hall of the historic Honoré Mercier building way with a bear hug.
Eight years earlier, it was outgoing Liberal Premier Philippe Couillard who greeted Legault in exactly the same hallway spot.
“I am proud to pass the torch to Christine Fréchette as the new premier of Quebec,” Legault said as reporters listening in. “The first reason is because she’s a woman. I have always noticed that, on average, women are more studious and rigorous.”
He went on to describe Fréchette as a “brilliant, determined hard worker.”
“Obviously when we leave our baby (the CAQ) it is always a bit worrisome,” he added. “But I do not see a better person than Christine to assume the future of Quebec. Christine will be an excellent premier.”
Fréchette also heaped praise on Legault, thanking him for all his years of public service.
“We can clearly say that you have Quebec in your heart,” Fréchette said.
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