Carl Hager
Published online July 1, 2026, at www.pontiacjournal.com
GATINEAU – Pontiac MNA André Fortin, currently serving as the Liberal Party’s opposition leader in the National Assembly, spoke with the Pontiac Journal on June 17 about the party’s policy direction ahead of the summer recess.
Fortin serves as the Liberal spokesperson on behalf of party leader Charles Milliard, who doesn’t currently hold a seat in the National Assembly.
Fortin said the Quebec Liberals are proposing a more positive approach to addressing language issues in the province. Rather than continuing what he described as punitive and divisive measures aimed at addressing the perceived decline of French, such as banning the chant “Go Habs Go” on city buses, the Liberals will invest $380 million to strengthen the French language through schools and economic opportunity.
Under the proposal, schoolchildren would receive one French-language book each year, libraries would receive increased funding, reading would become a greater priority, and immigrants would gain faster access to French-language instruction.
Fortin said the policy would help newcomers integrate more quickly into Quebec society and the workforce.
The Liberal approach would also maintain current enrollment levels in English-language CEGEPs while strengthening French instruction. Fortin said the party would seek ways to resolve ongoing legal disputes involving English school boards.
Fortin expressed concern about the Parti Québécois’ commitment to holding a referendum on Quebec sovereignty should the party win the provincial election in October.
“Right now, we have to pull together and strive for unity, given the economic and
political threats coming from the USA,” said Fortin, who also criticized the Coalition Avenir Québec’s (CAQ) efforts to again develop a Quebec constitution, arguing First Nations, anglophone communities, immigrants, and other minority groups have not been adequately consulted.
“By creating a constitution, they hope to find ways to further incorporate restrictions on the use of English in the province,” he said.
When asked what the CAQ government has done for the Pontiac region during its eight years in office, Fortin replied, “Nothing. The minister responsible for the Pontiac hasn’t set foot in the Pontiac in years.”
Fortin also commented on the new hospital project in Gatineau, noting staffing remains one of the largest challenges once construction is complete.
“We need to attract doctors, nurses, order-lies, radiologists, and laboratory technicians,” he said. “To do that, we have to finance training opportunities and pay healthcare workers adequately so they stay in Quebec instead of crossing into Ontario for better wages.”
Fortin argued the CAQ government is restricting entry into nursing programs
and isn’t paying healthcare workers enough to remain in the province.
Housing affordability was another issue raised. Fortin said the Outaouais population has grown significantly while housing construction has failed to keep pace with demand.
“The CAQ budget isn’t providing the funding needed for new housing construction,” he said. “Some kind of rent controls may have to be imposed.”
Fortin added that pressure on the housing market has increased as some seniors’
residences have closed, forcing residents to seek housing elsewhere in the community.
“There is no adequate plan available from this government to solve this issue,” he said. “The Liberal plan is to build 100,000 homes every year, not the 30,000 the CAQ proposes. We have to make home ownership affordable again.”
Fortin said he will be announcing events throughout the summer as the pre-election period begins ahead of the provincial election in October.
Photo: Pontiac MNA André Fortin. (CH)