CAQ promises up to $90 million to help children with special needs

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/02/01/caq-promises-up-to-90-million-to-help-children-with-special-needs/
The Legault government Thursday promised to hire 800 specialists to boost early detection and diagnosis of children with special needs. The hires, to be accompanied by a new province-wide early detection website, will cost between $70 million and $90 million over the next two years, Premier François Legault said at a news conference wrapping up ...

CAQ readying legislation to ban religious symbols for public employees

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/31/caq-readying-legislation-to-ban-religious-symbols-for-public-employees/
The CAQ is talking about religious symbols as it prepares for a new session at the National Assembly. The party’s caucus is debating strategy behind closed doors in Gatineau, including the government's signature plan to ban the wearing of religious symbols for some provincial employees. Premier Francois Legault said it's important to send a message ...

Jean-François Roberge is stepping in to ease classroom overcrowding

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/28/jean-francois-roberge-stepping-in-to-ease-classroom-overcrowding/
The province is stepping in to ease classroom overcrowding, announcing a West Island English high school with unused space will be transferred permanently to the francophone education system. Starting in September, Riverdale High School, located in Pierrefonds and operated by the Lester B. Pearson board, will close and become the sole property of the Commission ...

CAQ government softens long-gun registry requirements as compliance deadline approaches

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/24/caq-government-softens-long-gun-registry-requirements-as-compliance-deadline-approaches/
With less than a week before the deadline to register long guns in Quebec, the provincial government is loosening the requirements for long-gun owners. Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault made the announcement at the National Assembly Wednesday, saying she's hopeful that changing the requirements to register long guns will increase compliance. The registry is set ...

CAQ MNA for Orford, Gilles Bélanger, head to Vermont in bid to protect Lake Memphremagog from pollution

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/23/caq-mna-for-orford-gilles-belangerd-head-to-vermont-in-bid-to-protect-lake-memphremagog-from-pollution/
Quebecers worried about the health of Lake Memphremagog are in Vermont today in a last-ditch effort to halt the expansion of a garbage dump on the U.S. side of the lake. The Coventry landfill expansion project has gotten pushback over environmental concerns that wastewater from the landfill's treatment plant is polluting the lake, which straddles ...

Government to investigate up to a decade of alleged EMSB ‘irregularities’

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/23/government-to-investigate-up-to-a-decade-of-alleged-emsb-irregularities/
During last week’s Wednesday morning press conference, Québec Education Minister Jean-Franҫois Roberge told the media that his department will launch a thorough investigation into a long series of alleged incidents that’s hobbled the English Montreal School Board’s management. The government is also investigating a number of serious incidents that include several six-figure contracts that were ...

Legault, France’s Macron renew historic ties on anniversary of Quebec flag

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/21/legault-frances-macron-renew-historic-ties-on-anniversary-of-quebec-flag/
"I am the only head of state in North America to represent a francophone majority and so I have a responsibility to protect and promote French," Legault said. French president Emmanuel Macron underlined the historic ties between France and Quebec during a meeting Monday at the Élysée palace with Quebec Premier François Legault. After making a ...

Legault puts squeeze on Trudeau in Sherbrooke meeting

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/21/legault-puts-squeeze-on-trudeau-in-sherbrooke-meeting/
With the country now into an election year, Premier François Legault has upped the pressure on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to get moving on Quebec’s outstanding issues. Emerging from a one-on-one meeting with Trudeau on Thursday, Legault noted that the two revisited the same issues — from immigration to infrastructure funding to the creation of ...

Quebec Immigration Minister working on French-language, values test for newcomers

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/21/quebec-immigration-minister-working-on-french-language-values-test-for-newcomers/
Quebec Immigration Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette reiterated Wednesday that new immigrants will be tested on their knowledge of French and Quebec values within their first three years living in the province. He refused to provide more information on the test’s details but admitted it would mean changing the selection criteria and continuing negotiations with the federal ...

François Legault plans to honour campaign promise to examine the issue

https://coalitionavenirquebec.org/en/blog/2019/01/17/francois-legault-plans-to-honour-campaign-promise-to-examine-the-issue/
Premier François Legault says his government is open to giving those who are seriously ill, but not facing imminent death, access to medically assisted dying. Legault told reporters Thursday he made a campaign promise to look into the issue, and plans to honour that pledge — but warned it will take time. "We're going to look ...