'Free yourself' of Liberals, Franois Legault tells Anglos

Franois Legaultis urging anglophone Quebecersto ignore the "fear campaign" of Philippe Couillard's Liberals.

The leader of the Coalition Avenir Qubec addressed English speakers directly in parts of a fiery speech delivered Sunday in Lvis, Que.

"With the CAQ there is no hidden agenda. It's within Canada, plain and simple," he said at the party's convention ahead of the Oct. 1 provincial election.

"We're in a new era. There's no threat of a referendum anymore so there's no reason to stick with the Liberal party that has taken you for granted for decades.Free yourself!Join the team for change."

Legault, a former PartiQubcoiscabinet minister,was again faced with questions Saturday over his past views on sovereignty.

He said he rejectsthose views now. "I prefer the term nationalist, because federalist is more subject to the status quo," he said.

The CAQ is leading in the polls, ahead of both the governing Liberals and the Opposition PQ.

At a news conference following his speech, Legaultreiterated his position and said that, "of course,our opponents are trying to mix this message."

He also said that his plan to abolish school boards wouldn't diminish the control anglophoneshave over theireducation system, as some critics have suggested.

He said the school boards will be replaced by "service centres," which will serve a similar function.