Philippe Couillard visited Sept-Iles

Photo By Toma Iczkovits
After a visit to Baie-Comeau by the end of the day Wednesday, Philippe Couillard visited Sept-Iles on Thursday.

QMI agency

Thursday, 24 August, 2017 13:10

UPDATE
Thursday, 24 August, 2017 13:16

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BAIE-COMEAU | The prime minister of Québec continues its journey on the North Shore. After a visit to Baie-Comeau by the end of the day Wednesday, Philippe Couillard visited Sept-Iles on Thursday.

The prime minister met over a lunch hour business people gathered at the convention Centre. It was a dinner meeting, where they could share their concerns. Among the topics discussed include access to natural gas, air services costly, and the project mine Arnaud, who was on everyone’s lips.

Wednesday, Baie-Comeau, Philippe Couillard has dealt with economic issues, including the mine, Mason Graphite. A request was reiterated by several speakers : that of the construction of a bridge on the Saguenay river, which would replace the traverse Tadoussac-Baie-Sainte-Catherine.

The prime minister has made no commitment, saying that there was still not consensus : “For the bridge, at this time, the orientation is to have the ferries, again. However, one is willing to look at any project that is consensus in the region. There are impacts on employment, if you don’t do the crosses. I think that the mayor of Tadoussac is very sensitive to that. There is the question of cost also. This must be done at a price reasonable and affordable.”

In addition, a welcoming committee was waiting for Philippe Couillard on his arrival at the Centre des congrès de Sept-Îles. Paramedics were on strike for several months, wanted to attract his attention to their situation.

“There’s a lot of impatience. It’s been over two years that we are without a collective agreement. We want that to be rule quickly. We are here today to make noise, to remind the government that the paramedics are still there. And it will remain there for as long as there will be no negotiation,” said Samuel Bernier, of the Union of paramedics of the middle and lower North Shore.

Thursday afternoon, Philippe Couillard was scheduled to make a visit to the rail Company and port of Pointe-Noire.