10 watch folders within the provincial elections

Archival photograph of Stevens LeBlanc
The prime minister Philippe Couillard

Pascal Dugas Drone

Friday, 5 January 2018 05:00

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Friday, 5 January 2018 05:00

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QUEBEC | The next general election is fast approaching, and all parties are now in election mode, even if the vote is in nine months. Despite this elephant in the room, the government Couillard has before him an imposing agenda, which could be decisive for the outcome of the election of the 1st of October next.

• READ ALSO: Several contentious issues to be expected between Quebec and Ottawa

1. On the road to legalization

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Quebec will have to adopt in the spring of his law on the supervision of the cannabis, which will surely be legalized on the 1st of next July by Ottawa. Among its main challenges Quebec must find a way to prevent driving while impaired by drugs, and even more difficult, find a way that is fair, and in the event of disputes, to penalize the offenders.

2. A young law unloved

Archival Photo Simon Clark

The minister of Justice, Stéphanie Vallée

The adoption of the Law on religious neutrality was difficult for the government Couillard in 2017, and the torture could continue this year. Of civil society groups have challenged the law before the superior Court and the article regarding the services face to face, has since been suspended.

During this time, the minister of Justice, Stéphanie Vallée, must still file the guidelines that will guide the implementation of accommodations for religious reasons.

3. Taxi VS Uber

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Philippe Couillard pledged to compensate taxi drivers who have seen the value of their licences to plummet since the arrival of Uber, but the amounts granted will they be able to calm their grumbling ? According to the taxi industry, it would cost $ 1 billion to the quebec government to buy taxi permits. The government has formed a committee which will decide on the amount to be paid.

4. Review of the school taxes

File Photo, Jean-François Desgagnés

The government Couillard has recently filed a bill providing for a reform of the school tax starting in 2018. In the end, all owners will benefit from this tax relief.

This reform will result in a reduction of State revenue of approximately $670 million.

5. The man’s best friend ?

File Photo, AFP

Minister Martin Coiteux wants to adopt its law that governs dangerous dogs, but the opponents to this policy will be the fangs. Already, the mayor of Montreal, Valerie Plant, has removed the pit bulls from list of dangerous dogs.

6. The minister Fortin drive

Archival Photo Simon Clark

The minister of Transport, André Fortin

The government Couillard has finally filed its draft law which aims to reform the highway safety Code. The young minister André Fortin promised that the new Code would be more severe for the users of the road who are using their cell phones behind the wheel.

The maximum fine would increase from $ 300 to $ 600 and the driving licence of the offender may be suspended for three days as soon as the first recurrence.

7. One is not laughing more

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The founder of the Just for laughs Group, Gilbert Rozon

The Just for laughs Festival and the new Festival of laughs in Montreal can they be held in the quebec metropolis in the course of the same summer ? The government Couillard may be called upon to decide pursuant to grants that may be awarded.

The survival of the giant created by Gilbert Rozon, in the wake of accusations about inappropriate sexual behavior, will certainly be a challenge for the government.

8. The holiday time

Photo archives AGENCE QMI, SARAH BERGERON-OUELLET

In order to improve the “quality of life” of Quebec’s Labour minister Dominique Vien will introduce in 2018 a bill which could make spend two to three weeks the minimum duration of a vacation to a worker. The prime minister is betting that the québec employees will be, in the end, more productive.

9. Transparency

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Still expected, the reform of the Law on access to information was yet part of the commitments made by the government Couillard, on his arrival to power in 2014. The passage of the three ministers responsible for this act will not be enough to propose legislation.

If Philippe Couillard wants to prove that he runs the government the most transparent in the history of Québec, such a reform is necessary.

10. Rejuvenate the vintage of the Governed

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The minister of public Safety, Martin Coiteux, want to dust off the Act respecting the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux, the vast majority of the components date back to the early 1990s.

The minister account, inter alia, to “modernize the institutional culture of the body”, and revise the regulations and supervision of alcoholic beverages and ensure better follow-up with industry on “issues of substance”.