François Legault's immigration proposals probably won't 'see the light of day,' says pollster
CBC Radio | Posted: October 2, 2018 2:45 PM | Last Updated: October 2, 2018
Coalition Avenir Québec won majority with 74 seats
François Legault, Quebec's premier-designate, has learned on the campaign trail that his stance on immigration "probably will not fly," according to a political pollster.
"Out of all of his campaign promises, probably the last one to see the light of day would be his promises on immigration," said Christian Bourque, vice-president and senior partner at the polling and marketing firm Leger.
Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec won a solid majority with 74 seats in the province Monday. The Liberals won 32 seats, the Parti Québécois just nine — one less than the sovereigntist Québec Solidaire.
During the campaign, the CAQ tried to woo voters with plans to cut the number of immigrants by more than 20 per cent to 40,000 a year, and to impose French-language and values tests on new arrivals.
Those immigration proposals could be resurrected "maybe late in the first mandate, if at all," Bourque said.
In a previous appearance on The Current on polling day, Bourque said that the CAQ had tried to ignore the issue in the final weeks of the campaign.
"As soon as you are perceived to be remotely intolerant in any way, Quebecers tend to turn their back," he said.
Listen to the full conversation near the top of this page.
Produced by The Current's Karin Marley.