CAQ says no to a cross-party caucus on the environment after refusing climate debate

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The Coalition Avenir Québec government refused on Tuesday to create a forum of elected officials from all parties for the environment.

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The decision comes a week after a cross-partisan roundtable took place for the first time, including both scientists and politicians. The group was created through an initiative by Sylvian Gaudreault, Parti Québécois MNA for Jonquière, who had been wanting a common forum for elected officials concerned about the climate crisis for a long time.

On Tuesday, Gaudreault tabled a motion proposing the forming of a parliamentary circle on the climate in the 43rd Legislature, after the October elections.

CAQ parliamentary leader Simon Jolin-Barrette refused to allow the motion to be debated.

Gaudreault, however, said he had made sure he had the support of Environment Minister Benoit Charette beforehand and that the motion was supported by the Liberal party, Québec solidaire and independent MNAs.

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“I don’t understand this,” Gaudreault told La Presse Canadienne. “I wanted to at least move the case forward.”

Thirty elected officials from all parties, including the CAQ, took part in the meeting last week. Gaudreault hoped to see the birth of a “climate caucus” in the National Assembly following the experience and the adoption of a motion to the same effect.

“What we did with the three scientists last week was a success,” he said. “I hope that it will in any case inspire those who were there, who will continue as deputies in the next legislature.”

Also on Tuesday, Québec solidaire’s Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois accused Premier François Legault of knowing nothing about the environment after refusing to participate in a leader’s debate on the climate crisis during the election campaign.

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A day earlier, the Liberals, Québec solidaire and Parti Québécois eagerly accepted the invitation of collective “Vire au vert” to hold such a debate.

According to Nadeau-Dubois, Legault has a horrible environmental record.

“François Legault is not able to talk about the environment for more than five minutes,” he said. “He doesn’t know about it, it doesn’t interest him and that’s why he refuses to discuss it. … He failed all along, and if he refuses to discuss it, it is because he is afraid to defend his failure from him.”

Legault later defended his decision by saying he was already going to debate with other leaders during the traditional debates on Radio-Canada and TVA, which cover multiple subjects.

“It’s important, two debates,” he said. “(Nadeau-Dubois) will be able to ask all the questions, we will be able to debate. The rest of the time, what are we going to do? We will be on the field.”

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Legault also used the opportunity to praise his record. He said he was proud of the Blue Line métro extension in Montreal, the agreement between Hydro-Québec and New York, and the purchase of electric buses.

“We are in the process of building the battery sector,” he added. “Québec solidaire is against that, even if it respects European standards. (…) Québec solidaire is an unrealistic party.”

Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade also deplored Legault’s refusal to participate in a substantive debate on the climate crisis.

“He is afraid to debate his environmental record because he has none,” she said. “Above all, he has no vision with regard to the environment, no vision with regard to the climate crisis. I didn’t offer anything.”