The Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) has lost another member of the National Assembly (MNA) as Youri Chassin announced his departure from the party on Thursday, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's financial management and its direction since the last election. This isn't the first instance of discontent within the CAQ, according to the premier.
Chassin, who has represented Saint-Jérôme since 2018, stated in a press conference that he would be sitting as an independent while continuing to serve his term. He also clarified he would not join any other political formation.
Chassin, an economist who previously worked for the IEDM before entering politics, was regarded as a star candidate in 2018. Despite his prominence, he was never appointed to the Cabinet, a point he raised after the 2022 elections, expressing his disappointment at the omission.
However, Chassin assured the press that his decision to leave the CAQ was not driven by this oversight. He attributed his departure to disagreements with the party's policies since 2022, particularly concerning the government's handling of finances, which are projected to result in an 11-billion-dollar deficit for 2024-2025.
Chassin's departure, as outlined in an open letter published in Le Journal de Montréal, signifies a growing dissatisfaction within the CAQ. He asserted that the party had lost the energy and audacity needed to disrupt the status quo and steer Quebec away from its antiquated model, where the government assumes responsibility for everything.
He went on to say, "Ironically, I aim to push the CAQ towards achieving its own agenda, but from the other side of the chamber." Chassin's frustration is palpable. During an interview on Midi info, he decried the trend of agencies that convinced the CAQ to create Santé Québec and Mobilité Infra Québec, and criticized Bill 51, a law proposed by Minister Jean Boulet, which, he lamented, failed to reduce the number of construction trades.
He further expressed disappointment that schools are no less autonomous today than in the past despite Bill 40 on the abolition of school boards, which the Legault government passed in 2020 during its first term.
François Legault acknowledged in a press conference on Thursday that there might be impatience within his caucus regarding the implementation of health reforms and the return to budgetary balance, attributing this to ongoing negotiations with the FIQ and FMOQ. Nonetheless, he asserted that his party remained united.
Despite the growing dissatisfaction, Premier Legault insisted that the CAQ remains united. "I've been told I don't need to worry," Legault remarked. "We have two years left. It might not be as fast as we'd like, but I believe we'll get there. And I guarantee you that we won't give up."
Premier Legault has confirmed that ideological differences drove Chassin's departure from the CAQ. "I felt for some time that he was bothered by certain things," he shared. Legault revealed that Chassin had sought legislation to compel unions to publish their financial statements and the salaries of their executives, a move Legault believed could trigger a significant conflict.
Legault further admitted that other CAQ members also support addressing this issue. Chassin also reportedly pressed Legault to accelerate healthcare reforms, to which the premier responded that patience was necessary. This response, however, failed to sway Chassin, ultimately leading to his decision.
Chassin's public letter and his subsequent departure have caused considerable unease among his former colleagues. While many declined to comment or took the opportunity to defend the government's actions in the National Assembly on Thursday, others acknowledged it was a setback for the CAQ.
Abitibi-Est MNA Pierre Dufour conceded that Chassin was right on certain points and that the government needed to refocus on specific issues. Finance Minister Eric Girard, however, maintained that the deputy's critique was valid, emphasizing that public finances were manageable and the situation was under control.
Chassin's departure marks the fourth elected official to leave the CAQ since 2022. The announcement comes a week after the resignation of Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, who took everyone by surprise by announcing his departure just before the start of special consultations on Bill 69, concerning the energy future of Quebec. This will require a by-election in Terrebonne.
In April, Eric Lefebvre also left the CAQ to sit as an independent, awaiting the next election in the federal riding of Richmond—Arthabaska, where he intends to run under the banner of Pierre Poilievre's Conservative Party of Canada. Prior to him, in July 2023, MNA Joëlle Boutin also departed the party. A by-election was quickly held in Jean-Talon, which was won by the Parti Québécois.
