So you want the anglophone vote, do you? - Action News
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MontrealBallot Brief

So you want the anglophone vote, do you?

Theres one constant you can count on in Quebec politics: language issues. What are the parties promising anglophones? Glad you asked

We went out and asked each party what they plan to do for English-speaking Quebecers

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The winds of change seem to be blowing through Quebec these days.

Whether it's the Coalition Avenir Qubecleading the polls and convincing the masses that their time is "maintenant," or the Habs telling their captain that it's time to hit the road, it seems everyone is looking at the possibilities of a brave new world.

But there's one constant you can count on in Quebec: language issues. What are the parties promising anglophones? Glad you asked

Here's what you need to know on day 19:


The Breakout

By Sarah Leavitt, @sarahleavittcbc

Don't bother busting out your magnifying glass or pressing control-F to find any promises for Quebec's anglophone community in party platforms. We'll spare you the work: there aren't any.

So, what would each party do for Quebec's anglophones?

We went out and asked them.

A year ago, the Liberals created the Secretariat for relations with English-speaking Quebecers, naming a minister to work with Anglos on policies and programs needed for the community, and they plan to rest on their laurels.

All four parties say they'll keep the secretariat, although the Coalition Avenir Qubec's Franois Legault did add a caveat.

"We're open to keeping it, if it's useful," he said, without elaborating.

(Mathieu Potvin/Radio-Canada)

As for the Parti Qubcois, leader Jean-Franois Lise says Anglos who don't learn French earn themselves "a one-way ticket to Toronto."

OK, so he isn't going to ship Anglos out of the province what he means is that English speakers need better French-language education so they don't feel they have to leave.

His party is proposing a new language law, Bill 202, which would make students in English CEGEPs study at a French-language CEGEP for one semester.

The bill would also make businesses with 25 employees or less prove they can operate in French, something businesses with 50 employees already have to do.

PQ Leader Jean-Franois Lise unveiled the new-and-improved version of his Bill 202 proposal in front of McGill's Roddick Gates. (CBC)

Responding to emails asking what Qubec Solidaire would do for Anglos in the province and whether it would keep the Secretariat, spokesperson Stphanie Guvremont wrote "yes and yes."

When we replied that the first question was not a yes or no question, Guvremont simply wrote, "they'll keep their rights."

The Breakdown

  • Philippe Couillard promised $135 million over five years to help immigrants settle outside Montreal. Couillard called immigration and whether to reduce the number of new arrivals despite a provincial labour shortage, as the CAQ has proposed the "ballot question" in the election. More

  • The CAQ would put $800 million over four years into improving access to publicly funded home care and hiring more workers. Nearly 343,000 Quebecers receive home care, but many families say the current system isn't working. More.

  • Jean-Franois Lise said a PQ government would meet the Paris agreement's 2020 emission targets by putting more money into public transit and encouraging carpooling. The PQ would replace Montreal's coming light-rail network with a combination of new bus lanes, tramways and trains.

The Mic

Do you have election questions you want answered? Send your queries to ballotbrief@cbc.ca and we'll choose some to be answered right here.

The Big Trade

The party leaders took a break from making policy announcements today so they could weigh in on something far more important: the Max Pacioretty trade.

(Vegas Golden Knights)

Legault quipped that the struggling Canadiens needed a change just like the province does on Oct. 1.

Lise said it was serendipitous that the team acquired Nick Suzuki, a nephew of well-known environmentalist David Suzuki, on the day he presented his party's environmental platform.

Couillard said he liked the trade as well, and that the Habs need to "look to the future." More on the trade.

The Race

As we enter the third week of the campaign, Legault'sCAQis still on top but the Parti Qubcois and Qubec Solidaire are making gains.

(Hlne Simard/CBC)

For more poll tracker goodness, click here.

In the spirit of change, we're changing too! Starting today, Ballot Brief will be hitting your inbox every weekday.

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la prochaine,

-Melinda Dalton, social media editor