Politicians in Quebec are accusing Toronto of waging a “fear campaign” by invoking the threat of a Quebec referendum to undermine Montreal’s bid to host Canada’s new multinational defence bank that would provide financing for defence projects by NATO members and allies.
Canada has been chosen to host the bank’s headquarters, with Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver competing for the project, which is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs.
The contest is intensifying as cities make their case, with Quebec’s Premier, Christine Fréchette, highlighting Montreal’s strengths.
“We have expertise in aeronautics, aerospace and artificial intelligence,” she said, adding the city has what it needs to welcome the bank.
But a report published in Quebec’s French language newspaper La Presse suggests promoters in Toronto are, behind the scenes, pointing to the possibility of another referendum to portray Montreal as a less stable choice.
“It’s part of a fear campaign,” said Parti Québécois (PQ) MNA Pascal Paradis.
The PQ is leading in the polls with five months to go before the next provincial election and has pledged to hold a referendum in its first mandate if elected.
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Paradis rejected the idea that such a move would hurt the economy. “We must put aside this fear campaign, these fear tactics,” he said.
Québec solidaire, another sovereigntist party, echoed that position.
“What I’m afraid of is the real instability caused by Quebec being in Canada,” said spokesperson Sol Zanetti.
Fréchette declined to weigh in on whether sovereignty concerns could weaken Montreal’s bid.
“I’m not getting into that,” she said, adding she has not contacted Ontario Premier Doug Ford over the issue.
The Quebec Liberal Party criticized the use of referendum fears in the competition.
“We are asking the rest of Canada — those in this competition — don’t go there. You don’t need to go there,” said Liberal MNA Marc Tanguay.
Tanguay, however, said the prospect of a PQ government and a referendum is “creating economic instability.”
Montreal is the ‘logical’ choice, mayor and economy minister say
Quebec’s Economy Minister Bernard Drainville told reporters Friday that Montreal is the natural choice to host the new bank because of its strong financial and defence industries and because it hosts dozens of international organizations.
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada touted the city’s skilled workforce, its universities, its ability to attract international talent and the fact that many citizens speak three languages, like herself.
“We work with many countries in the world and having a population that has such a high percentage of (people who speak) three languages — I’m an example of that — well it gives us a competitive edge in terms of what we can offer when looking for labour,” she told reporters Friday.
Martinez Ferrada cited a recent multibillion-dollar deal between AirAsia and Mirabel, Que.-based Airbus Canada as proof that companies aren’t shying away from investing in Quebec.
Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal are expected to continue lobbying the federal government, which will make the final decision, in the coming weeks.
On Friday the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Dominic LeBlanc, refused to comment on which city will get the bid, saying only that Canada is lucky to be considered.
Ottawa announced in late April that Canada was selected to host the bank to provide “long-term, low-cost financing” for defence projects by NATO members and allies.
–with files form The Canadian Press
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“Politicians in Quebec are accusing Toronto of waging a “fear campaign” by invoking the threat of a Quebec referendum”
The same politicians who threatened and held a separation referendum? What hypocrites!! A good reason to NOT host Canada’s new multinational defence bank.
3K jobs? Must be a huge bank.
More crying from the Lilly pad…
Liberals campaign slogan both federal and provincial should just be ” One of us, One of us, One of us…..