CAQ

Coalition Avenir Québec

Quebec's nationalist and centre-right governing party. Founded November 14, 2011 by François Legault (former PQ MNA and Bouchard-government education minister), absorbing the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ). Has formed government continuously since October 1, 2018, defeating the Quebec Liberals under Philippe Couillard. Won majority re-election in October 2022. The CAQ government has built its program around Quebec autonomy short of sovereignty: Bill 21 (state laicity, royal assent 2019, invoking section 33 of the Charter), Bill 96 (French Language Charter modernization, 2022, also invoking section 33), Bill 31 (housing modernization), Bill 38 (agricultural lands protection), the modernized Quebec immigration framework, and a series of Quebec-Ottawa disputes on immigration thresholds, health-transfer adequacy, and federal carbon-pricing administration.

Leader

François Legault

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Positions on Issues

Federalism & Quebec
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) under Premier Francois Legault is a nationalist autonomist party (not separatist), seeking greater Quebec powers within the Canadian federation without holding a sovereignty referendum. Passed Bill 21 (Loi sur la laicite de l'Etat, R.S.Q. 2019, c. 12, using the section 33 notwithstanding clause to insulate from Charter challenges), Bill 96 (CAQ French-language reform extending Bill 101, R.S.Q. 2022, c. 14, also using the notwithstanding clause), and the Loi sur les renseignements de sante (Law 25 privacy regime). Demands full Quebec immigration authority and a constitutional recognition of the Quebec nation under the November 2021 federal recognition motion that the Trudeau government supported.
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Healthcare
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government under Premier Francois Legault passed Bill 15 (Loi visant à rendre le système de santé et de services sociaux plus efficace, R.S.Q. 2023, c. 34) creating the Santé Québec mega-agency that centralizes the 30 prior regional health authorities into a single Crown corporation effective December 1, 2023. Signed the federal-Quebec Asymmetrical Health Care Agreement (March 2023, providing Quebec full administrative autonomy over the $26-billion 10-year CHT increase), opened the new CHUM and CUSM mega-hospitals in Montreal (the largest in Canadian history), and continues to defend Quebec's two-tier authorization of private-pay surgeries at chargeable Cliniques Lakeshore.
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Languages & Bilingualism
The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) under Premier Francois Legault passed Bill 96 (Loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Quebec, le francais, R.S.Q. 2022, c. 14) in 2022 amending Bill 101 to extend French-language requirements to small businesses (25 to 49 employees), cap English-CEGEP enrolment at 17.5 percent, require immigrants to communicate with the Quebec government in French after six months of residency, and create the new Quebec Minister of the French Language role. Used the section 33 notwithstanding clause to insulate Bill 96 from Charter challenges. Defends the federal Bill C-13 (Official Languages Act reform, S.C. 2023, c. 15) French-content protections in federally regulated workplaces.
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Leader

Positions on Issues

Members (13)