When he was in the Parti Québécois, François Legault had issued a warning: “If there were to be a slowdown or a recession, Quebec would be living Canadian federalism on its knees”, while promising him sovereignty unlike in better days.

The leader of the Coalition avenir Québec estimates that the probability of Quebec’s economy falling into recession is now 50%, but that doesn’t stop him from believing federalism remains more beneficial.

Of course, the increased need for political stability in times of economic uncertainty also makes him argue that it is better to have an experienced team “with both hands on the wheel”.

Last spring, Mr Legault said he was impatient to see the public finance study promised by the PQ, which was supposed to be an update of the study which he made himself in 2004who had concluded that Quebec had all the advantages of leaving the federation.

While Paul St-Pierre Plamondon claims that the publication of this study has been delayed due to new calculations necessitated by the surge in inflation, Mr. Legault rather believes that his conclusions are not sufficiently conclusive in the eyes of the PQ, the compensation received from Quebec have increased from $4 billion to $13 billion since 2004.

It is true that since Jacques Parizeau’s budget for year 1 (1973) on the studies of the Bélanger-Campeau Commission (1990) and those of the Ministry of Restructuring (1995), such exercises have had different effects.

As rigorous as the calculations are, there are simply too many unknowns causing confusing and unsettling number wars. Although their campaign is going well, the PQ had no interest in starting a debate that would have put Paul St-Pierre Plamondon on the defensive.

Past the editorial table of the Have to Last Saturday, the CAQ leader did a good job of defending himself for morphing into a defender of Canadian unity, but the thing is, “We’re getting at least 10 billion more than we’re sending to Ottawa. It has yet to be said. »

In the federal capital, we certainly noticed Mr. Legault’s good mood. Of course he will always ask for more money, but we have never heard him speak so positively about federalism. We can still get him to swallow snakes.

When in opposition, Mr Legault criticized the Couillard government for so mismanaging the economy that the compensation paid to Quebec tripled. That is now his main argument for remaining in the association.

We can legitimately choose to give up those billions to preserve our identity, he concedes, but it’s not his choice. After all, for the CAQ, this whole debate is not a question of dignity or pride, as Bernard Drainville had suggested a memorable pro-independence plea in the National Assemblybut only a question of money.

Mr. Legault has never claimed to be a romantic hero, although he has more than once managed to make the national fiber vibrate. However, the accountant is never far away.

Still, it’s starting to get embarrassing that the ” New project for Quebec nationalists which was supposed to lay the foundation for a “new relationship” with Canada, does not bring the slightest result. Mr. Legault is still unable to identify a single one of his 21 requests that have been well received in Ottawa.

He now says he is prepared to ditch the new immigration powers he’s calling for if the federal government takes steps to take in more French-speaking newcomers, to target an 80% share.

However, the experience of francophone immigration outside of Quebec leaves one skeptical. The goal of 4.4% of all newcomers set by the federal government in 2003 was never even close to being reached, despite the outcry of the francophone communities. That hasn’t stopped Secretary Sean Fraser from pledging yet again to get there by next year.

Acknowledging that “It’s not easy with Justin Trudeau,” Mr Legault bets again on a change of government in Ottawa. However, he did not dare to say the name Pierre Poilievre. Money is all well and good, but selling your soul to the devil isn’t necessarily a good deal.

To see in the video