POLITICAL RESOLUTIONS. NOVEMBER 24 th, 25 th and 26 th, 2017 QUEBEC CITY CONVENTION CENTRE

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1 POLITICAL RESOLUTIONS NOVEMBER 24 th, 25 th and 26 th, 2017 QUEBEC CITY CONVENTION CENTRE

2 SCHEDULE FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24 th 2017 SATURDAY NOVEMBER 25 th pm Registration opens 5 pm Internal affairs (closed door session) 7 pm Opening of the 33 rd Members Convention Co-Chairs Words of Welcome Carole Théberge, Member for Lévis and Minister from 2003 to 2007 Marc Tanguay, Member for LaFontaine Allocutions d ouverture Gilbert Grimard, Outgoing President of the Quebec Liberal Party Philippe Couillard, Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party and Premier 7 am Registration opens 8:30 am Speeches by candidates for elected positions Voting period opens 9:30 am Speech by the Chair of the National Policy Committee, Linda Caron 10 am Topical workshops 11:30 am Lunch break (buffet) 12 pm Topical workshops 1:45 pm Examination of the Framework Resolution 4:45 pm Presentation of the Lucienne Saillant and Joyce Fennell awards 5 pm Voting period closes 5:15 pm Work adjourns Celebration of the 150 th anniversary of the Quebec Liberal Party 6:30 pm 150 th anniversary cocktail reception 7:30 pm 150 th anniversary dinner 2

3 SCHEDULE SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26 th am Registration opens 8 am Examination of political resolutions 11 am Results of the vote for elected positions announced by the Returning Officer, Me Jean Beaupré Closing speeches Carole Théberge and Marc Tanguay, Co-Chairs of the 33 rd Members Convention The newly elected President of the Quebec Liberal Party Antoine Atallah, President of the Quebec Liberal Party Stéphane Stril, President of the Youth Commission Philippe Couillard, Leader of the Quebec Liberal Party and Premier 3

4 SUMMARY A FULLY CONNECTED QUEBEC BY 2025 PRIORITIZING TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT IN BAS-SAINT-LAURENT FACILITATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AND ACCESS TO A HIGH-SPEED INTERNET (HSI) NETWORK IN RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY ENERGY PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION ENSURING CÔTE-DU-SUD S DYNAMIC AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION MODEL FOR GASPÉSIE/ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE QUEBEC: A LOCATION OF CHOICE FOR IMMIGRANTS MAKING QUEBEC S REGIONS MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR IMMIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AGRICULTURE - FOREIGN WORKERS USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO INCREASE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND EDUCATION RETENTION OF FOREIGN STUDENTS SECOND-LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR INTERESTED ENGLISH-SPEAKING QUEBECERS SEEKING TO ENTER OR REENTER THE JOB MARKET MARRIAGE AND WILLS INCREASED ACCESS TO JUSTICE

5 SUMMARY IMPROVING ACCESS TO SUBSIDIZED AND/OR PRIVATE CHILDCARE IN THE CONTEXT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE MAINTENANCE OF NUMBERED ROADS UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SMALL MUNICIPALITIES MUNICIPAL FIELD - SHARED SERVICES ACCOUNTABILITY OF ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS URBAN PLANNING: FEDERAL/PROVINCIAL/MUNICIPAL JURISDICTIONS BUILDING A FULL FOUR-LANE ROAD ON HIGHWAY 117, BETWEEN LABELLE AND MONT-LAURIER EXPANSION OF HIGHWAY 50 TO FOUR LANES OVER ITS ENTIRE LENGTH IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN OUTAOUAIS IMPROVING TRAFFIC FLOW: A THIRD LINK BETWEEN LÉVIS AND QUÉBEC CITY HIGHWAY 30, A MAJOR CHANNEL FOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF MONTRÉAL S SOUTH SHORE RESOLUTION ON THE APPROACH TO TRANSPORT AND MOBILITY ON THE ISLAND OF MONTRÉAL AND IN THE MONTRÉAL METROPOLITAN AREA ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE - BOUCHERVILLE CONGESTION TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONTRÉAL-EST WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRE OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDY OF EDUCATION SERVICES ON OFFER IN OUTAOUAIS

6 SUMMARY ADAPTATION TO THE DIGITAL AND SHARING ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF OPEN DATA DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR NEW TECH STARTUP INCUBATORS AND ACCELERATORS LAUNCH OF AN INNOVATION, EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION INSTITUTE ESTABLISHING OF A GARANTEED MINIMUM INCOME IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF TEACHING MEDICAL SUPERCLINIC RIDING OF MONTARVILLE HÔTEL-DIEU DE QUÉBEC BUILDING ENCOURAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERING REDUCING THE FINANCIAL BURDEN ON INDIVIDUALS REQUIRING MEDICAL CARE TIME LIMIT FOR THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF BILL C-45 LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL CANNABIS

7 1) A FULLY CONNECTED QUEBEC BY 2025 Digital connectivity and access to cell service is an essential requirement for the development of all of Quebec s regions, its land occupancy and its public safety going forward; The Government has recognized the importance of these issues in its past efforts and investments for the deployment of broadband networks and through the Quebec Digital Strategy s actions and goals; A large part of the province is covered by high-speed broadband networks owned by non-profit organizations (e.g. RISQ, QIX, etc.), educational, municipal and First Nations community organizations (e.g. EEYOU Communications Network), state corporations such as Hydro-Québec, private companies (e.g. Bell, Videotron, etc.) or those organized in agreement with regional NPOs (e.g. GIRAT); Cell, Wi-Fi and microwave service networks already exist in a large part of Quebec; A large part of less densely populated and sparsely populated areas are not serviced by high-speed digital access or simply do not have access to such a service, and these same areas have sectors with inefficient, fragmented or nonexistent cellular service; Accessibility as well as digital connectivity and mobile access services must be increased so that users across the province have access to high-speed and ultra high-speed services to meet future users and digital services needs and to ensure all have access to reliable and high-quality cell service; Quebec expertise and knowledge in the field of connectivity could be highly recognized, developed and shared; The Government of Quebec: 1. Establish a connectivity policy ensuring access to a high-speed digital connection and reliable and quality cellular service across the province of Quebec, wherever people are generally located. This policy will aim to provide users with practical 7

8 access in public spaces, interregional zones and parks; 2. Establish an initial deadline for 90% of Quebec businesses and residents to have access to at least 100 Mbps broadband networks, for more than 9% to have access to 30 Mbps broadband networks and for less than 1% to have access to at least 1 Mbps; 3. Establish a second deadline for 90% of Quebec businesses and residents to have access to at least 1 Gbps broadband networks, for more than 9% to have access to 100 Mbps and for less than 1% to have access to at least 15 Mbps; 4. Establish rules to maximize the use and integration of infrastructure, material and equipment for existing fixed, cellular, microwave and satellite networks; 5. Assess, for the purposes mentioned above, the benefit of nationalizing all or part of existing networks and infrastructure throughout the province or supporting financially or otherwise their acquisition or management by neutral organizations, including municipal, local or regional agencies or organizations; 6. Study the opportunity of establishing a Quebec authority on electronic communications (including telephony, internet and radio) within the province s jurisdiction, with the mandate of taking action to support communications service optimization, efficient resource use and the security and reliability of communications and to intervene in competition and consumption problems; 7. Establish a Connectivity Forum with the goal of continuously facilitating cooperation between operators, businesses, authorities, non-profit and governance organizations and digital and cell service users in order to identify problems and find solutions that foster access to high-performance digital connectivity as well as secure, high-quality cellular services. Abitibi-Témiscamingue Policy Committee 2) PRIORITIZING TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT IN BAS-SAINT-LAURENT Bas-Saint-Laurent municipalities such as Squatec, Saint-Athanase, Saint-Marcdu-Lac-Long, Esprit-Saint, Saint-Vianney, Saint-Jean-de-Cherbourg, Sainte-Rita, etc., are not serviced in 2017 by cellular telephony and quality internet access is 8

9 not yet a priority for providers of these services; All Bas-Saint-Laurent municipalities have the right and the skills to conquer new markets; Quebec expertise and entrepreneurial skills in science, agriculture, economics, medicine, engineering, etc. are impressive in Bas-Saint-Laurent and recognized beyond our borders; Bas-Saint-Laurent has international reach in terms of maple sugar, swine production, the biomarine sector, education, peat, lumber processing, etc.; After the electrification, mechanization and computerization stages, the Quebec Digital Strategy constitutes a new stage of the economic revolution. In that sense, one of the Bas-Saint-Laurent Liberal Associations main requirements is that this transformation be fair in all Quebec municipalities; Several Bas-Saint-Laurent municipalities have very poor cellular signal and highspeed internet quality, which gives them major disadvantages in terms of safety, development, attracting new families, the elderly and especially in preventing youth from leaving the communities; 1. The Government of Quebec, more specifically the Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy and the Premier of Quebec, work together to rapidly implement a reliable high-speed network, fostering access to a reliable internet and cellular network in Bas-Saint- Laurent; 2. The Government of Quebec accelerate the process so that Bas-Saint-Laurent municipalities may have access to digital telecommunications that meet modern standards; 3. The Government of Quebec ensure the ministries mentioned above actively work toward finding quick solutions and implementing an assistance program for municipalities and/or regional county municipalities (RCMs) to accelerate the implementation of these essential services (cellular telephony and high-speed 9

10 internet) for all Bas-Saint-Laurent residents. Bas-Saint-Laurent Policy Committee 3) FACILITATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AND ACCESS TO A HIGH-SPEED INTERNET (HSI) NETWORK IN RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS Access to high-speed internet and to a cell phone network are services that are essential for economic development and the vitality of our regions; Private internet service providers, although present in the regions, are reluctant to set up a HSI networks outside the urban boundaries of municipalities; Considerable efforts are being made by the Quebec government to encourage the establishment of HSI coverage throughout the inhabited parts of the province, in particular through the Québec Branché program of the Ministère de l Économie, de la Science et de l Innovation (MESI) in collaboration with the federal government. 1. The Quebec government continue its efforts, working with the federal government to extend the Québec Branché program; 2. This extension lead to new calls for projects. Mauricie Policy Committee 4) ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY ENERGY PRODUCTION ORGANIZATION Quebec s Energy Strategy adopted by the Liberal government opened the way for community energy projects; 10

11 The implementation of this strategy has enabled the Innu community of Mashteuiatsh, in the RCM of Domaine-du-Roy and the RCM of Maria-Chapdelaine, to form a unique partnership to optimize the collective benefits of this energy strategy; The Société de l énergie communautaire du Lac-Saint-Jean resulting from this partnership was behind the projects in Val-Jalbert and at the 11th falls of the Mistassini River; The Val-Jalbert project gave this important tourist site in the Saguenay-Lac- Saint-Jean region an additional attraction and financial resources to supports its sustainability; The project at the 11th falls of the Mistassini River will also promote the extension of the Parc des grandes rivières in the RCM of Maria-Chapdelaine; The partnership model of the Société de l énergie communautaire du Lac-Saint- Jean demonstrates the economic potential of collaborations and agreements between Indigenous and non-native communities; The community aspect of mini power plants in Val-Jalbert and the 11th falls of the Mistassini River is an eloquent demonstration of the collective development potential of community energy in economic, environmental and social terms, and such a model can easily be reproduced elsewhere in Quebec; The Government of Quebec has adopted important policies on local and regional development and all these policies depend on the government s trust in the communities; The production of community energy can positively contribute to the economic development of Quebec and its regions and, to do so, it must be based on a solid framework that is able to support it in the long term; The Liberal Association of Roberval believes that the current government is best able to respond to this need since it is behind this vision of economic development; BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LIBERAL PARTY MEMBERS 11

12 1. The Quebec government provide the province with an innovative legislative, regulatory and administrative framework allowing it to create and consolidate a long-term, genuine community energy production organization that participates in the renewable energy market; 2. The Quebec government draw inspiration from the expertise and experience of the Société de l énergie communautaire du Lac-Saint-Jean in the design and drafting of the tools required for the establishment of a community energy production organization; 3. The Quebec government promote the deployment of this framework by leveraging: a) structuring partnerships between Indigenous and non-native communities; b) modern and effective management of social acceptability; c) projects that are controlled and largely financed by the communities; and d) conditions that promote the profitability of community energy projects. Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean Côte-Nord Policy Committee Roberval Riding Association 5) ENSURING CÔTE-DU-SUD S DYNAMIC AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Côte-du-Sud businesses, restaurants, organizations, stores and public services face a tremendous challenge in terms of hiring and retaining their workforce, especially in the health and manufacturing fields; Uneven wireless and digital telephony coverage in the area hinders workforce attraction and retention and affects business efficiency; We cannot offer a more appealing wage policy given the increasing competition exerted by certain countries due to labour and raw material costs; 12

13 Manufacturing companies with considerable expertise and College Centres for the Transfer of Technologies in Côte-du-Sud can offer several hundred jobs and contribute to boosting the region s economy; The acute shortage of medical specialists in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region prevents health care services from functioning properly; During coverage loss periods, health institutions are limited in their mission to provide quality health and social services that are accessible, continuous, safe, and respectful of individual rights as stated in the Quebec Minister of Health and Social Services strategic planning; Health coverage loss is an important issue in areas with an aging population and where nearby local services are paramount, as they can influence young families decision to take a job and settle down in the area; Local residents have publicly demonstrated their views on these issues several times, including during rallies and public meetings; Côte-du-Sud s dynamic and sustainable development depends on its ability to attract and retain a specialized skilled workforce, and a key factor in making this happen is establishing a full and adequate range of healthcare services; 1. The Government of Quebec adopt provisions to ensure the regions sustainable economic development and continuous population growth; 2. The Government of Quebec implement measures to guarantee jobs in nonmetropolitan regions, including by requiring a certain local content percentage when awarding government contracts; 3. The Government of Quebec ensure it limits negative impacts on all subcontractors in the regions; 4. The Government of Quebec foster specialized immigrant workforce training and/ or integration in the regions; 13

14 5. The Government of Quebec ensure high-speed internet coverage to support the manufacturing industry in non-metropolitan regions; 6. The Government of Quebec prioritize the adoption of Bill 130, which will allow health service authorities to immediately fill vacancies for the Côte-du-Sud population s well-being. Côte-du-Sud Liberal Association Chaudière-Appalaches Policy Committee 6) AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTION MODEL FOR GASPÉSIE/ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE In the last 25 years, various organizations have directly or indirectly worked toward improving residents living conditions in the Gaspésie/Îles-de-la- Madeleine region in the face of several changes in the traditional forestry, fisheries and mining sectors. Modifications adapted to these sectors new requirements and technologies such as wind power have been implemented. However, the region still has to face a number of challenges to achieve economic and social development that can be compared to the rest of the province. Beyond the traditional technical and financial support offered to entrepreneurs in those areas as well as the administrative management of local development programs offered by organizations in those fields, the region requires a special focus to revitalize and diversify its economic base. The region must strengthen its development capacities in generating, identifying, targeting and establishing business opportunities and new development initiatives based first on the area s potential, its strengths and its assets and, second, on new trends in an ever-changing economic environment. The entrepreneurial process collective dimension must, now more than ever, be at the heart of local communities action strategies in their assessment of emerging trends, anticipation of opportunities such trends could offer and identification of the area s potential in line with the identified trends and opportunities. The region is composed of mostly small devitalized municipalities and must be supported in order for a local revitalization project to be launched. 14

15 1. The Government of Quebec support and provide the region with a development committee (tactical solicitation and economic development group) whose mission is to implement a local economic development strategy and a structured business opportunity detection and identification process (monitoring activities); 2. A team of professionals, ambassadors and leaders from the area work full time to generate, identify, target, validate and implement business opportunities and new development initiatives (renewable energy and environmental technology deployment, tourism positioning focused on developing authentic cultural experiences, value-added natural resources in the area, and others). Gaspésie Îles-de-la-Madeleine Policy Committee 7) QUEBEC: A LOCATION OF CHOICE FOR IMMIGRANTS Quebec s unemployment rate is at an all-time low at 6%; Immigrants absence rate in Quebec is 24.5 % after less than 10 years; Immigrants who have been in Montréal for less than 5 years have an 18% unemployment rate; More than 80% of immigrants settle in the Montreal area; The labour shortage is an important factor impeding the economic development of several Quebec regions. 1. The Government of Quebec implement better measures to assist newcomers upon their arrival in the province; 2. The Ministère de l Immigration, de la Diversité et de l Inclusion (MIDI) process the 15

16 applications of newcomers wishing to settle outside Metropolitan Montréal more efficiently; 3. The MIDI prioritize immigration applications of newcomers who work in fields with labour shortages; 4. The Government of Quebec establish an immigrant placement service to make it easier for employers in non-metropolitan regions who wish to hire immigrants; 5. Unemployed immigrants living in Metropolitan Montréal be encouraged to apply for a job in other regions after a year of unemployment; 6. The Government of Quebec launch an awareness campaign to attract immigrants to non-metropolitan regions; 7. The Government of Quebec streamline the process for foreign workers to come work in Quebec if they already have a job waiting for them; 8. The businesses seeking to welcome newcomers or foreign workers receive better support from the Government of Quebec. 9. A pilot project incorporating the various components mentioned above be implemented in the Beauce-Sud riding to attract newcomers and foreign workers. Beauce-Sud Liberal Association Chaudière-Appalaches Policy Committee 8) MAKING QUEBEC S REGIONS MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR IMMIGRANT WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES Several companies in several Quebec regions are facing a shortage of skilled or unskilled labour in various sectors and this is an obstacle to economic development; The Quebec population is ageing and in several regions of Quebec, the rate of 16

17 natural population growth is well below replacement level; The vitality of our regions and land occupation are essential to the development of Quebec; The proportion of citizens who are immigrants is much higher in urban areas, but the employment rate for this population is below average; The cost of living in non-metropolitan regions is generally lower than in the major centres, including rent and property ownership; Local organizations such as RCMs, economic development services, support services for new immigrants (SANA), higher education institutions and businesses in several Quebec regions are taking action to attract immigrant labour to nonmetropolitan regions; 1. The Ministère de l Économie, de la Science et de l Innovation (MESI), in collaboration with the Ministère de l Immigration, de la Diversité et de l Inclusion (MIDI) support local joint initiatives that aim to facilitate the settlement of immigrant workers and their families in non-metropolitan regions; 2. This support take the form of a policy with a dedicated budget to attract immigrant labour to non-metropolitan regions; 3. The ministries concerned play a supporting role for local initiatives; 4. The policy include a component supporting the settlement of families in nonmetropolitan regions, not just for access to employment; 5. Tax incentives be granted to companies in non-metropolitan regions hiring immigrant labour and to support the settlement of families in these regions. Mauricie Policy Committee 17

18 9) AGRICULTURE - FOREIGN WORKERS The Montérégie region is a sector where farming is a major activity and is considered to be Quebec s pantry; Agricultural production starts early in the spring, and ends late in the fall, a situation which deprives farmers from student labour for production; Farming is now regarded as a specialized activity, and producers are forced to work with skilled foreign workers; These skilled workers, particularly workers from Mexico, Guatemala, etc., are found outside the country; The federal government is hindering opportunities to employ foreign workers by imposing deadlines to review the files of candidates wanting to harvest all kinds of agricultural production by coming to work on Quebec farms; The climate plays an important role in sowing and harvesting agricultural production, and the federal government operates within a period that provides no flexibility in the event of an early spring or a late autumn; Other Canadian provinces also seek these skilled foreign workers, creating an abundance of files to study in a short period of time; The Government of Quebec request the delegation of power and jurisdiction, similar to that provided to collect the GST, in order to proceed to the study of skilled farm workers files, to accelerate the acceptance of applicants. Huntingdon Liberal Association 18

19 10) USING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO INCREASE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION The Government of Quebec innovate in order to increase citizen participation by: 1. Launching a pilot project enabling citizens to suggest changes to bills through public platforms (open data) made available on the National Assembly s website; 2. Creating a digital platform/mobile application pilot project that would bring citizens closer to their elected representatives and their administrations by providing them with the opportunity to ask questions, propose ideas, point out problems, etc. 3. Authorizing the National Assembly of Quebec to make more use of video conferencing systems, to allow citizens to participate in certain parliamentary activities (committees, public consultations, etc.) from their MNA s constituency office through video conferencing. Youth Commission 11) CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND EDUCATION Immigration can contribute fully to the economic vitality of our regions; The rate of immigrant Canadians born abroad is above - + 5% in Quebec and Ontario is higher %; Interprovincial migration from Quebec to Ontario in is 36.24%; The use of immigration is a solution to rehabilitate the challenge of the shortage of skilled and unskilled labor in our businesses; Quebec s public and political institutions take the appropriate initiatives to ensure the best possible integration of immigrants in the regions and the metropolises; 19

20 The government works to educate young Quebecers about cultural diversity by: 1. Giving the mandate for the future Quebec Institute of Excellence in Education to study the possibility of adding notions about different cultures to the school curriculum in elementary and secondary levels that: 1.1 Gives a better knowledge of Quebec and Aboriginal culture; 1.2 Contributes to open up young Quebeckers to other cultures; 1.3 Include not only a historical dimension such as the study of civilizations but also societal; Commission of Cultural Communities 12) RETENTION OF FOREIGN STUDENTS The Government of Quebec work to improve the attraction and retention of foreign students by: 1. Establishing a tax credit over several years for international and Canadian students, having as an objective to repay the additional amount paid in tuition fees compared to Quebecers, if they choose to settle and work in Quebec after their studies; 2. Establishing a new access to healthcare program for foreign students, or providing a framework for programs offered by the private sector, to make insurance more accessible to these students. Youth Commission 20

21 13) SECOND-LANGUAGE PROGRAMS FOR INTERESTED ENGLISH-SPEAKING QUEBECERS SEEKING TO ENTER OR RE- ENTER THE JOB MARKET English-speaking Quebecers of all ages have made tremendous strides in becoming increasingly proficient in French, Quebec s official language; French immersion instruction was created and developed in Quebec, by Quebec s English-speaking educational community, and now serves as a model for secondlanguage instruction across the globe; There are numerous and important publicly funded programs for the francisation of newcomers to Quebec; Many English-speaking Quebecers seeking to enter or re-enter the job market, have not, despite their best intentions, received the structured opportunity to learn and perfect their French; Quebec is eager to welcome Canadians from other provinces, who might not yet have had the opportunity to fully master the French language; Mastering French is increasingly essential for individuals to more fully contribute to the life and vitality of Quebec; Be it therefore resolved that the government of Quebec Institute and support French second-language programs, administered in a similar manner as those offered to newcomers, for interested English-speaking Quebecers seeking to enter or re-enter the job market, and thus contribute more fully to the growth and vitality of Quebec. Notre-Dame-de-Grâce Liberal Association Westmount Liberal Association Robert-Baldwin Liberal Association Jacques-Cartier Liberal Association Pontiac Liberal Association Nelligan Liberal Association Orford Liberal Association Huntingdon Liberal Association 21

22 14) MARRIAGE AND WILLS Our population is aging and the number of people with dementia is increasing so much that the situation is being called an epidemic in Canada; Dementia is a difficult disease to diagnose and it affects the brain, judgment, autonomy and memory; Patients with Alzheimer s or dementia, especially our seniors, require special protection; Fraudulent marriages and falsified handwritten wills are wreaking havoc, mainly for incapacitated elderly people; 1. The Quebec government work to reform civil officiant training, requiring applicants to present themselves in person at the Ministère de la Justice to obtain their certification with their identification and criminal record check; 2. The Quebec government oblige officiants to ensure the capacity of people during the marriage celebration; 3. The Quebec government change the rules protecting adults by adding emergency backup measures that will enable interested persons to block certain transactions that could be fraudulent, pending a decision on the adult s capacity; 4. The Quebec government grant full judicial authority to the Registrar of Civil Status to legislate on marriage as a whole and enable it to act quickly without having to depend on other institutions; 5. The Quebec government promote the need to consult the Civil Status Register and its accessibility; 6. The Quebec government send, via recommended mail, a confirmation of union or of any change in marital status on the behalf of the Registrar of Civil Status to interested persons; 22

23 7. The Quebec government review the possibility of adding a notion of irrevocability to notarial wills for people who wish to apply it. La Pinière Liberal Association 15) INCREASED ACCESS TO JUSTICE The Quebec government commit to: 1. Take measures to reduce court wait times; 2. Finance law schools legal clinics in order to create student jobs within faculties; 3. Allow law students in Quebec, working in law school legal clinics, in community internships, or working with some legal community organizations, to perform certain legal acts which are currently exclusively reserved to lawyers; 4. Use the Access to Justice Fund money to further subsidize Community Justice Centres to help increase their service offering; 5. Encourage the initiative of basic legal information businesses, such as Éducaloi. Youth Commission 16) IMPROVING ACCESS TO SUBSIDIZED AND/OR PRIVATE CHILDCARE IN THE CONTEXT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE Improving access to subsidized and/or private childcare in the context of work-life balance; Childcare services offered in childcare centres (CPEs), private and home-based daycare aim to provide all children in Quebec with a high-quality education program; 23

24 Childcare services typically cover weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. without a real opportunity to expand access to services beyond this period, i.e. evenings and weekends; Due to the nature of employment, many parents are forced to work evenings and/ or weekends; Quebec has seen an explosion in the number of single-parent families and shared custody is now standard in rulings on relationship breakdowns; With an aging population, we are moving towards full employment; It will be increasingly difficult to fill evening and weekend jobs if we are not capable of offering a competitive advantage that meets the needs of workers with children; The government is highly involved in childcare funding and the responsibility of these services to provide an adequate service; 1. Subsidized childcare services be obtained with extended opening hours from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day to adjust to the variable working hours of parents; 2. CEGEPS offering an early childhood education program be asked to create a paid internship available to students who have successfully completed the first year of study, to cover the extended childcare opening hours; 3. Childcare services in the cities with colleges offering early childhood education programs be encouraged to create part-time positions for internships covering additional childcare periods during the week and the weekend; 4. It be ensured that all interns have access to a telephone consultation service provided by regular childcare staff; 5. Adequate additional income for the professional responsible for answering calls be provided; 6. All retired elementary school teachers be allowed to apply for a part-time position 24

25 in childcare; 7. CEGEPS offering early childhood education courses supervise internships, following recognized standards within the meaning of the Education Act; Montérégie-Centre Policy Committee 17) MAINTENANCE OF NUMBERED ROADS UNDER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SMALL MUNICIPALITIES The Ministère des Transports transferred the responsibility for, and the maintenance of, many numbered roads to municipalities many years ago; The maintenance of several of these regional roads is limited by lack of funding and their state is now a matter of concern, even alarming; Financing for the maintenance of these roads or sections by small municipalities has become problematic and impossible, as a result of a low local demographic growth and the insufficient indexing of maintenance and roadwork budgets; The state of these roads now affects the economic and tourism industry development of these small municipalities, and is becoming a major handicap to their financial capacity; The Quebec government is banking on tourism as an economic and development driver for the regions; The government of Quebec s commitments in the field of tourism for 2017 to 2020 stem from the Plan de développement de l industrie touristique : un itinéraire vers la croissance and are the result of a huge endeavour that stakeholders and partners of the tourism industry in all regions of Quebec have undertaken; The general objective of these commitments is to make Quebec a top tourism destination by placing visitors at the heart of interventions; Tourism has been identified as an engine of economic development by stakeholders of the Des Sources region and the government s economic 25

26 diversification strategy; Route 257 linking Saint-Adrien and Ham-Sud is the only road that leads visitors to a regional park duly recognized by the Government of Quebec, namely the Mont-Ham Regional Park; The Mont-Ham Regional Park is the main tourist attraction of the Des Sources region; The Government of Quebec has publicly mentioned that it was going to have a favourable bias for the Des Sources region and its development following the withdrawal of the loan to the Jeffrey Mine; The development of tourism surrounding the Mont-Ham Regional Park is limited because of the difficulty in adequately travelling there; 1. The government of Quebec establish a national committee to evaluate the needs of municipalities for ceded numbered roads; 2. The government of Quebec financially support the municipalities of Saint-Adrien and Ham-Sud to complete the upgrading and paving of Route 257 within their boundaries. Richmond Liberal Association 18) MUNICIPAL FIELD - SHARED SERVICES There are government public safety requirements for local municipalities; Small- and medium-sized municipalities grant little importance to public safety, either because of lack of interest or inadequate budgets, and they neglect their residents safety; Some municipalities are showing interest in consolidating or sharing services; 26

27 Some sparsely-populated municipalities are at the mercy of the billing for shared services by more populated municipalities and make these costs government requirements; Group savings are possible by grouping municipalities without considering populations, property wealth or region; 1. A government intervention be undertaken to encourage municipalities to join together to provide and share services, particularly public safety services (fire departments, first responders, public safety, etc.), within the framework of tax relief measures to benefit municipalities that are part of the group; 2. That a guide be created for tax fairness for sparsely-populated municipalities, to avoid having the tax burden of highly-populated municipalities overwhelm those with lower populations. Huntingdon Liberal Association 19) ACCOUNTABILITY OF ELECTED MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS There is movement (resignation in the course of mandate) of elected municipal officials on the municipal councils of certain local and regional municipalities; These elected officials administer taxpaying citizens money and are protected by a certain immunity that their positions give them; Some of these elected officials use public funds to defend themselves after having fired, with impunity, municipal employees who served to win elections; Some elected officials use their power or believe themselves to be a governance power and incur unjustified costs by refusing to repay municipality suppliers; 27

28 1. Mandatory training be given to elected municipal officials on the consequences of the aforementioned actions, and that these elected officials become personally responsible for costs incurred if their actions are determined to be unfounded; 2. The Legislature amend the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities (R.S.Q., c.e-22) and make training on the responsibilities of elected municipal officials and the consequences of unfounded actions mandatory. Huntingdon Liberal Association 20) URBAN PLANNING: FEDERAL/PROVINCIAL/MUNICIPAL JURISDICTIONS Municipalities are governed by provincial laws, which are in turn governed by federal enabling statutes; Some jurisdictions remain under federal governance, such as rail transportation, air transportation, navigation on certain bodies of water, etc.; Many municipalities in Quebec have been founded and built close to railways that existed before their creation as a municipality; Railways are under federal jurisdiction and the federal government does not recognize provincial laws such as the Act respecting land use planning and development (c.a-19.1), whose application is delegated to local municipalities; The Act respecting land use planning and development is necessary to maintain land use organization and apply restrictions with regard to keeping and maintaining certain infrastructure; After the Lac-Mégantic accident and other, less publicized accidents, it was found that the common denominator in these was the infrastructure s lack of maintenance, and that, due to Quebec municipalities inability to enforce provincial laws, municipalities are at the mercy of railway companies who are only required to be accountable to federal government ministries; 28

29 Steps be taken to persuade the federal government to recognize municipal regulations that stem from provincial laws, and that power be delegated to municipalities to enforce provincial regulations delegated to them over federal jurisdictions in order to avoid the accidents that arrive too frequently in municipalities crossed by railways. Huntingdon Liberal Association 21) BUILDING A FULL FOUR-LANE ROAD ON HIGHWAY 117, BETWEEN LABELLE AND MONT-LAURIER Highway 117 is the Hautes-Laurentides main road section and the access route to Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Adding double lanes on the highway until Mont-Laurier would be an essential boon for the Hautes-Laurentides region s economic development, in addition to making it safer. Despite improvements in the last ten years (Labelle and Rivière-Rouge bypasses) that have helped reduce the number of annual accidental deaths by 42%, a ranking in the Journal de Montréal classified it as the 8th most dangerous road in Quebec in The double lanes on Highway 117 are currently interrupted starting at Labelle, except for the Rivière-Rouge bypass. The distance between Labelle and Mont- Laurier is 70 km. The Ministère des Transports, de la Mobilité durable et de l Électrification des transports has recognized the importance of rectifying the state of Highway 117 in a meeting with the Comité SOS 117 in summer

30 The Ministère des Transports, de la Mobilité durable et de l Électrification des transports du Québec add a four-lane highway extension project between Labelle and Mont-Laurier to the Plan québécois des infrastructures. Laurentides Policy Committee 22) EXPANSION OF HIGHWAY 50 TO FOUR LANES OVER ITS ENTIRE LENGTH It is essential for the development of Outaouais and the well-being of its population to link the region to the rest of Quebec with a proper highway; The construction of Highway 50 from Gatineau to Mirabel has significantly eased the flow of transport of people and goods and has contributed to the development of the region; This road has not been developed to its full potential as it has only one lane in each direction over a large part of its distance and over these sections, only a rumble strip separates oncoming traffic; Many of these sections are particularly dangerous and accidents occur regularly, including several fatal accidents; The traffic on Highway 50 has significantly increased in recent years and it is increasingly busy; Improvements to Highway 50 between Gatineau and Mirabel are included in the Quebec Infrastructure Plan; Phase I of completion has been announced; 1. The planning work already undertaken by the Ministère des Transports, de la Mobilité durable et de l Électrification des transports covering the segments identified as hazardous be accelerated; 30

31 2. The studies required for the expansion of all sections of Highway 50 to four lanes be started now and a schedule of completion of four lanes over the entire length of Highway 50 be established and publicly announced. Outaouais Policy Committee 23) IMPROVED PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN OUTAOUAIS Public transport is an essential service, both for major urban centres and rural areas; Private carriers regularly ask to cease transportation services in rural areas; The rural peripheral RCMs in La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, Papineau and Pontiac are not adequately serviced by public transport in Outaouais; The Transcollines service serving the Collines de l Outaouais RCM municipalities is an example of the development of public transport in rural areas and this service is planning extended service over the area of the Pontiac RCM; 1. The Quebec government support a public transport project in the rural Outaouais RCMs providing a daily service linking them to Gatineau; 2. The RCM and the current public transport parties, the Société de Transport de l Outaouais (STO) and TransCollines, be involved in the definition and implementation of the project; 3. The project be documented to serve as a pilot project for other regions of Quebec. Outaouais Policy Committee 24) IMPROVING TRAFFIC FLOW: A THIRD LINK BETWEEN LÉVIS AND QUÉBEC CITY 31

32 A region s economy depends on a road network that allows traffic to flow, as much for efficient public transit as for drivers and truckers from the Bas-St-Laurent, Gaspésie, Chaudière-Appalaches and Centre-du-Québec regions heading to Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean or Côte Nord and vice versa; A third link to the east is important not only for Metropolitan Québec City, but also for the province s residents as a whole, to contribute to eliminating the traffic jams residents currently experience when travelling from one shore to the other; A third link to the east would divide traffic by maximizing the use of the two existing highway lanes in opposite directions and would therefore prevent having to expand them and risk an increase in traffic jams at the entrance of bridges, which could impact users safety; A third link to the east is an important issue for the Chaudière-Appalaches and Capitale-Nationale regions from an economic and sustainable development perspective; 1. The Government of Quebec prioritize the construction of a third link east of Lévis and Québec City and that it: 1.1 Contribute to making traffic at the entrances of the Pierre-Laporte and Québec bridges flow better for drivers and public transit users coming from northern and southern regions; 1.2 Foster the establishment of an integrated transit network between shores by forming a loop between the two St. Lawrence River shores; 2. The Quebec regions that feel concerned offer their support; 3. The Government of Quebec make a decision by the next provincial general election. Chaudière-Appalaches Policy Committee Capitale-Nationale Policy Committee Bas-Saint-Laurent Policy Committee 32

33 25) HIGHWAY 30, A MAJOR CHANNEL FOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF MONTRÉAL S SOUTH SHORE the severe congestion on Highway 30 between Highway 20 and the city of Candiac is a constant, everyday reality during the week, and often on the weekend as well; 87,000 vehicles take this section of Highway 30 every week; The congestion on Highway 30 is evident between Sorel and Valleyfield every day, and this situation has a negative impact on the quality of life of commuters as well as on the entire region s economy and development; The congestion at the intersection of Highways 30 and 10 is especially alarming given the giant bottlenecks in the direction of the Champlain Bridge; Projects such as the Réseau électrique métropolitain (REM) and repairs to the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge Tunnel and the Turcot interchange will only worsen this congestion; Highway 30 was designed to be a bypass of the Island of Montréal, and Highways 10, 15 and 20 and Routes 104, 112, 116, 132 and 138 are connected to it; According to a 2016 study by the CCIRS and Quebec s Ministère de Transport, the largest proportion of trucking traffic on the entire greater South Shore area (11% to 18%) is found on Highway 30; The presence of two logistical hubs at Les Cèdres and Contrecœur for the creation of an economic development corridor is of continental interest to companies and industries that want to set up in North America; Highway 30 must facilitate the development of the greater metropolitan region s industrial port zones, which are all connected to each other by Highway 30, and their success depends on the traffic flow of this main artery; The study submitted by the CCIRS and the petitions of several mayors and other stakeholders in road transportation and the RCMs of the greater South Shore area all demand that action be taken to ease the flow of traffic on Highway 30; 33

34 The petition presented by 3,900 workers, in November 2016, demands the expansion of Highway 30, at the very least between Highways 10 and 20; The Government of Quebec planned for the study of the Highway 30 optimization project in its budget. 1. The Quebec Ministère du Transport proceed, swiftly, with the expansion of Highway 30 between Highway 20 and the city of Candiac; 2. The Government of Quebec review its mobility plan for the next thirty years between Sorel and Valleyfield; 3. The Government of Quebec take concrete action to optimize the flow of traffic on Highway 30 in the short term, while the desired expansion is under construction. Montérégie-Centre Policy Committee Montarville Liberal Association 26) RESOLUTION ON THE APPROACH TO TRANSPORT AND MOBILITY ON THE ISLAND OF MONTRÉAL AND IN THE MONTRÉAL METROPOLITAN AREA The Island of Montréal and the surrounding metropolitan area are the social and economic driver of Quebec; Ease of travel is a factor that affects productivity and quality of life; Transportation plays an important role for the environment; The use of public transport is recommended and preferable; Future transport must be built around new urban hubs; 34

35 1. The Quebec government encourage the use of public transport by: a) facilitating access to metro stations, commuter trains and buses by: i ii iii Increasing the frequency of express buses serving train stations; Increasing the number of park-and-ride parking spaces; Increasing the frequency of trains to every 30 minutes; b) extending the metro toward Anjou; c) constructing a new line between St-Michel/Montreal North and NDG/ Montreal West; 2. The Quebec government take action to minimize travel time on highways on the Island of Montréal by: a) adding a lane in both directions on Highway 40 between the metropolitan area and the Île aux Tourtes Bridge that is reserved for buses, taxis, vehicles used for carpooling and electric vehicles; b) the Cavendish Boulevard link; c) widening the access ramps in both directions at the junction of Highways 40 and 13; d) constructing another north-south boulevard to access Highway 40 west of Saint Charles Boulevard at Pierrefonds; e) connecting Highway 640 north of the Island of Montréal to Highway 50, providing another way to bypass the island; f) adding an additional lane to Highway 20 East between the Louis 35

36 Hippolyte Lafontaine Tunnel exit and Beloeil; g) adding a lane reserved for buses, taxis, vehicles used for carpooling and electric vehicles in both directions on Highway 13; 3. The Quebec government promote the integration of train, subway and bus networks by: a) providing other interconnection points between the train and the metro (e.g. Bois-Franc station with the orange line); b) placing the bus stop as close as possible to the station platforms; c) synchronizing express buses with the train schedule. Montréal-Centre Policy Committee 27) ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE - BOUCHERVILLE CONGESTION There will be major construction work in the Louis Hippolyte Lafontaine Tunnel starting in 2020; These two intersections promote and facilitate the industrial and commercial development of the entire region; The industrial park in the vicinity is home to three major road transport companies: Groupe Robert, Transport Guilbault and Transport Boutin; These intersections are used by residents of several surrounding cities (Sainte- Julie, Saint-Bruno, Saint-Amable Boucherville, etc.); 1. The Quebec government commit to adding or developing new park-and-ride lots at the intersection of Highway 20 and De Montarville Boulevard; 36

37 2. The Quebec government commit to expanding westbound Highway 20 between the Richelieu River and Road 132 to include a reserved bus lane; 3. The Quebec government commit to enlarging the park-and-ride lots in Beloeil and in Boucherville at the corner of De Mortagne Boulevard and Highway 20; 4. The Quebec government commit to redeveloping the intersection of Highway 20 and De Montarville Boulevard for better traffic flow. Montarville Liberal Association 28) TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MONTRÉAL-EST WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTRE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Locating a higher education centre in a region brings about positive change by supporting the development of knowledge and generating economic activity around it; Universities like UQAM, UdeM and UdeS have established branches in different regions to better meet the demand for services for the students and workers living there. There is no higher education institution located east of Highway 25; The East of Montréal could benefit from further development if there were local service provision meeting its higher education needs; 1. The Ministère de l Enseignement supérieur, de la recherche, de la science et de la technologie, with its partners, conduct a study of needs for the creation of a higher education centre in the East of Montréal and its social and economic impacts; 2. The government consider the training needs of the people in the East such as business management, the social economy and technologies to promote the 37