Quebec Premier talks charter of values, reconstructing Lac-Mégantic

LAC-MÉGANTIC – Premier Pauline Marois came to this disaster-ravaged town to announce a $16 million plan for rebuilding the downtown core. She also addressed a recent marketing poll on the controversial proposed Quebec Charter of Values.

The plan for Lac-Mégantic includes the construction of four “business condo” buildings that would house some of the businesses displaced. The plan also would rename the northern part of Veterans Park for the date the lethal train derailment occurred – July 6.

“We would like to be operational for the beginning of December, if it’s possible,” Marois said.

Some of the plan – which is part of $60 million the province has pledged for relief – involves measures to work around the immense destruction caused by burning crude. A new bridge is planned that would link the downtown core to the de Fatima neighbourhood. Currently to reach the neighbourhood someone would have to drive in a half-circle on the outskirts of town since existing bridge is currently behind the closed-off perimeter isolating the blast zone.

Most controversially, the plan involves a temporary rail line that would allow industrial goods to run through town again. There have been grassroots efforts to stop rail traffic running through the town. Both Marois and Mayor Colette Roy-Laroche said the temporary line was necessary in order to get the town’s economy back to normal.

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“There is an important industrial park, and they have to send their merchandise to Montreal or the USA,” Marois said. “We will continue to discuss the possibility of a permanent railway line… but it’s impossible to make this decision now.”

Concerning the Quebec Charter of Values, the proposal that would ban public religious signs in public places of employment. A recent Leger Marketing poll indicates thta in the province more than 60 percent of francophones are for the measure, while about the same percentange of anglophones are against it.

“I am sure, the Anglo-Quebeckers will be able to present their point of view and arrive to a consensus when it comes to making the rules of living in Quebec,” she said.