CAQ agrees to grant official party status to Parti Québécois, Québec Solidaire
The deal means Québec Solidaire would for the first time have additional powers in the National Assembly
The Coalition Avenir Québec has reached an agreement in principle to grant the Parti Québécois and Québec Solidaire official party status.
This would grant the two parties additional powers in the National Assembly, including official recognition of their leaders, more time to debate motions and the ability to make opening statements.
According to Radio-Canada, the two parties will also each receive an operating budget of $1.6 million, and a car and security detail for their leaders.
The deal is expected to be ratified next week as the new government holds its first legislative session.
Neither party reached the 12 seats in the National Assembly, or 20 per cent of the popular vote, needed to automatically gain official status.
House Leader Simon Jolin-Barrette said on Twitter that the CAQ wants to ensure that MNAs of all political allegiances have the tools to do their job.
Le gouvernement et les oppositions ont conclu une entente de principe. La volonté de la CAQ est de s’assurer que l’ensemble des députés de toutes les formations politiques aient les outils pour accomplir leur fonction. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#assnat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#polqc</a>
—@SJB_CAQBoth the PQ and QS hold 10 seats in the provincial legislature, with the PQ receiving 17 per cent of the popular vote and QS 16 per cent.
"This is an important moment in the history of Québec Solidaire," QS co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said on Twitter.
It would be the first time the party gained official status, more than tripling its number of seats in the legislature in the October election.
Un grand moment pour Québec solidaire et, plus largement, pour la démocratie québécoise. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/polqc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#polqc</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#assnat</a> <a href="https://t.co/OnuPUP8HXn">pic.twitter.com/OnuPUP8HXn</a>
—@GNadeauDuboisInterim PQ leader Pascal Berubé thanked his negotiators for ensuring his party would not lose official status.
The party was the official opposition before the election, with 28 seats in the legislature.
If this goes ahead, it would not be the first time a party would have official status without receiving the sufficient votes.
In 2009, the Action démocratique du Québec returned to the National Assembly with just seven seats but kept their official status.
The remnants of that party merged with the CAQ in 2011. The CAQ holds a majority in the National Assembly, with the Quebec Liberal Party serving as official opposition.
With files from Radio-Canada