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Alexis Deschênes’ priorities for fall session in Ottawa

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI

CARLETON-SUR-MER – Alexis Deschênes, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gaspésie-Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine-Listuguj, plans on prioritizing the train, fisheries, and infrastructure during the fall session in Ottawa.

The Bloc MP attended his party’s caucus on September 8 and 9 in Quebec City in preparation for the parliamentary session that opened on September 15.

“…The return of passenger trains as soon as the rail line is completed. We know that in Port-Daniel, the locomotives and cars can travel on the rail line. We’re going to put maximum pressure on VIA Rail to get them to come back with their analysis, which they’re currently conducting, and to go back to the drawing board and tell us where they stand. What we’re hoping for is a partial return,” says Mr. Deschênes. “If that’s not the response we get, we’ll just increase the pressure until they change their minds,” he adds.

Mr. Deschênes hopes to see the federal government’s involvement in the next budget for rail to Gaspé. “Can the federal government contribute? We’ll exert pressure in that direction,” says the MP.

In other infrastructure, he notes the Port of Matane and the extension of the runway at the Magdalen Islands airport.

In the fisheries sector, the MP will prioritize the Fisheries Fund, which will need to be renewed, along with the diversification of export markets. “It’s really important. Money needs to be made available for this,” says the MP.

The pozzolan mine and the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse are also on his list of priorities, as he aims to bring these citizens’ demands to Ottawa.

In the upcoming budget, expected this fall, Alexis Deschênes hopes for a response to his concerns. “Funding to enable the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region to acquire infrastructure that will improve mobility and prosperity, and a renewed Fisheries Fund because it allows for innovation,” he says.
The big question will also remain, the size of the deficit, which could reach $100 million.

Mark Carney’s Liberal government will table a budget this fall. “We’ll see to what extent Mr. Carney has managed to outspend Justin Trudeau in just a few months, something we didn’t think possible,” the Bloc member emphasizes.

Over the summer, Mr. Deschênes built a team to support him in his role as MP.

Alexis Deschênes’ priorities for fall session in Ottawa Read More »

Demeure Toi: The CISSS has the required funds

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Jean-Philippe Thibault, LJI Jounalist

GASPÉ – Following Demeure Toi’s public announcement regarding the annual funding of its activities, the CISSS de la Gaspésie still intends to reach an agreement.

“The CISSS de la Gaspésie has the necessary funds earmarked for this type of accommodation project,” Cassandra Lévesque, Assistant to the president and acting communications manager, immediately stated in an email exchange.

She also emphasized that no specific amount has been proposed to the organization so far. Demeure Toi mentions a proposal for an annual amount of $50,000. Their expectations were more in the order of $318,000.

Cassandra Lévesque notes that financial assistance was granted in 2024 to hire a project manager.
“Our institution has collaborated transparently for many years with the Demeure Toi organization, notably through regular meetings, coaching, and support in their efforts […] Since the beginning of our approach with Demeure Toi, it has been planned that the funds granted to the CISSS de la Gaspésie should help improve and diversify the residential offerings for people living with autism spectrum disorder in the Côte-de-Gaspé region.”

The agreement yet to be concluded should thus make it possible to provide residential services, explains the CISSS de la Gaspésie. This “is consistent with the clinical profile of the clientele and the funding required to provide them with residential services.”

The amount remains to be determined. Cassandra Lévesque emphasizes that the goal is to enable people living with autism spectrum disorder to integrate into a living environment that meets their needs, in a supervised setting that offers them personal assistance services, the necessary help with domestic life, civic support, and presence and supervision.

The CISSS de la Gaspésie already offers various services to these people, such as support and guidance in achieving lifestyle habits, developing and resuming lifestyle habits, as well as support for partners.

MNA more than speechless

The Gaspé riding Member of the National Assembly was left more than speechless by Demeure Toi’s statement regarding the lack of funding requested by the organization.

Stéphane Sainte-Croix immediately clarified that no promise of recurring funding of $318,000 was made during a meeting in August 2024 with the organization, minister Lionel Carmant, and himself.

“Contrary to what was reported, there was no promise of an agreement. There was a recognition of the needs, and we responded. We listened, we clarified the needs, we identified the measures, we capitalized on the budget, and we disbursed it to the CISSS.”

The money is there, based on the needs identified through the project,” assures Mr. Sainte-Croix.

What calculation?

It’s hard to explain why Demeure Toi projected such a sum of $318,000 when the funding criteria have been known for a long time and are standardized by the Ministry of Health, especially since the potential beneficiaries have also been known from the start, he adds.

“Here, it says that the CISSS’s offer doesn’t match the assessment of their request, but these are the same criteria that have been in place since the first day of the project’s development. How do we arrive at $318,000?”

“In other words, they estimate the needs at approximately $25,000 per person, but where does that come from and based on what? Is it projected, real, desired? We’d also like to have honest answers to that. If they’ve been targeting $25,000 per person since day one, but the client profile assessment brings us to $5,000, they should have known this earlier than June 23. I’m a bit stunned,” specifies Mr. Sainte-Croix.

Criteria

Demeure Toi explained in its open letter that the service agreement proposed by the CISSS de la Gaspésie offered $50,000 per year through the Iso-SMAF ​​assessment. The Iso-SMAF ​​profiles represent a management system focused on classifying (from 1 to 14) users’ needs based on their autonomy. This tool produces results that underestimate the specificities of autism, Demeure Toi argues.

“If it’s a fight to change the criteria, that’s a different ball game,” says the MNA. “The ministry will not disregard its own rules to meet a need deemed unrecognized. The Demeure Toi project is anticipated and legitimate. We’ve worked hard on it along the way. But if the rules of the game aren’t working along the way, we should have said so beforehand. We could have worked on those rules, that’s for sure; that’s our job. But that was never part of the discussions”.

Subtitle: Deadline

Stéphane Sainte-Croix wants to be clear and reiterates that the money has been allocated; that the total budget for the needs estimated for Demeure Toi by the ministry is allocated to the CISSS de la Gaspésie. However, the precise amount of this budget was not known at SPEC’s deadline.

“The perception is that the money isn’t there. It’s there, the check is there. I’m sure of that,” Mr. Sainte-Croix adds.

“I agree with this fight, but it shouldn’t be waged in the negotiation of an agreement at one to midnight. These discussions haven’t taken place in five years. Why wasn’t this raised sooner? Now we’re being told we’re not doing our job, but are we just hoping for it or are we complying with the applicable standards?” “I have a bit of a problem with that,” concludes Stéphane Sainte-Croix.

Demeure Toi: The CISSS has the required funds Read More »

Representatives Blouin and Sainte-Croix’s record marked by the postponement of rail repairs

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The results of the 2025 winter session of the Bonaventure and Gaspé Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) were marked by the postponement of the rehabilitation of section three of the regional railway and the indefinite postponement of the completion of the Gaspé terminus.

“We decided to return section 3 to the planning stage. We figured we would take the year to optimize the work to be done. Can we break down certain segments because the economic context is difficult and when we have a cost overrun of $150 million or $200 million, we have to take a step back,” said MNA Catherine Blouin.

“This is a particularly complex issue in terms of budget and implementation. It’s a major challenge for the future, and we’re working to review the implementation strategy,” added Gaspé MNA Stéphane Sainte-Croix.

In June 2023, the Quebec government had allocated a total of $872 million for the repair of the entire rail line between Matapédia and Gaspé.

However, in May 2025, Quebec withdrew $561 million for the rehabilitation of the Gaspé rail line from its investment plan for 2025-2027.

From $680 million for 2024-2026, the planned expenditure is now only $119 million for the next two years.

In the meantime, committees have been set up to evaluate the possibility of building structures that would support less weight or reduce rail traffic speed.

“We are taking a year to carry out the exercise and limit costs,” said Ms. Blouin.

“We want to ensure that the work is done flawlessly to guarantee the quality of the infrastructure and minimize asset maintenance costs. We’re not giving up,” said Mr. Sainte-Croix.

Neither MNA is willing to suggest a date for when a train might arrive in Port-Daniel-Gascons.
According to Éric Dubé, president of the Société du chemin de fer de la Gaspésie, a bridge still needs to be completed near Caplan.

In Port-Daniel-Gascons, Éric Dubé mentions that the tunnel is ready but that plans have not yet been made for the two approaches, mainly due to the strike by Quebec government engineers.

“There is still work to be done due to deficiencies found during the final evaluation of the section. There is also the strike by Quebec government engineers. Here too, we are waiting for details on the evaluation work and the corrections to be made. But I am confident about the future,” comments Stéphane Sainte-Croix.

Asked for a timeline, he responded, “Are we talking weeks or months? I am not in a position to answer that question,” added the MNA.

“Section two will be open as soon as possible, and everything is being done to reach that goal,” said Ms. Blouin.

This new uncertainty does not sit well with Gaspé Mayor Daniel Côte.

“This is all a bit ridiculous. The premier promised us a timeline. It’s normal for timelines to undergo minor adjustments. But right now, there is no timeline for Port-Daniel-Gascons. Imagine the timeline for Gaspé? We have no idea,” said Daniel Côté.

“Why is everyone skeptical? It’s because we no longer have a timeline and no one can give us one. The ultimate goal is to rebuild the entire rail line to Gaspé,” added Mr. Côté.
He pointed out that the Gaspé Peninsula has missed several opportunities for economic development.

“I feel like I’ve been repeating the same thing for 10 years. I’ve been elected for almost 12 years, and we’ve been fighting for almost 12 years. It’s been one promise after another from different governments. Every time, they make promises, and every time, nothing comes of it. There are many issues at stake, but I’m eager to get to the bottom of this once and for all,” he says.

The mayor agrees with having a rail line with reduced load capacity that would still allow Via Rail and freight trains to operate.

“That’s all we need. Initially, engineers in the region said that the work required to make it work would cost a little over $100 million. But when we put it through the government process, we wanted the Cadillac, and that’s when we spent beyond our needs,” Mr. Côté concluded.

Representatives Blouin and Sainte-Croix’s record marked by the postponement of rail repairs Read More »

Still no commitment to Quebec content in wind farms

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Quebec still has not committed to including regional and Quebec content requirements in wind power projects, even though Hydro-Québec is set to develop 10,000 megawatts of wind energy.
Following the adoption of Bill 69, the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Gaspé, Stéphane Sainte-Croix believes that Hydro now has the agility and flexibility to create winning conditions for Quebec content.

Mr. Sainte-Croix believes that the sector will be able to focus on its objectives and will be included in the development plan.

The elected official indicates that there will be room for Quebec companies such as LM Wind Power in Gaspé and Marmen in Matane.

However, conditions have not yet been set. “We are not yet in concrete discussions to see how this will play out. We have given Hydro-Québec the tools to consider these elements. But we are aware that the contribution of these companies is important for the future,” says Mr. Sainte-Croix.

Meanwhile, the MNA believes that the abolition of the minimum price for gasoline, which came into effect on June 9, is a step toward stimulating competition. He notes that other measures are in the works, including mandatory disclosure of price variations, which will make it easier to track market trends.

The MNA points out that Haute-Gaspésie, Côte-de-Gaspé, and part of Rocher-Percé still have some of the highest gasoline prices in the province.

“It will take some time for the market to regulate itself based on supply and demand. The Clark report in recent years indicated that Gaspésie more often than not had the highest prices in Quebec. The abolition of the price floor will stimulate this impact on prices,” he believes.

In place for 28 years, Quebec felt that the previous price floor mechanism limited competition among retailers and, as a result, led to higher prices.

Meanwhile, when it was withdrawn on June 9, motorists in the Bay of Chaleur were paying the fair price for regular gasoline, according to data from the Régie de l’énergie, However those in Rocher-Percé and Côte-de-Gaspé were paying more.

In Avignon and Bonaventure, gasoline sold for an average of $1.514 per litre, with a profit margin of 11.2 cents, slightly below the annual average of 11.7 cents.

In Chandler and Gaspé, a litre should sell for $1.54, but it is priced at $1.57.

The margin on the Gaspé Peninsula is 14.8 cents, compared to an average of 12.5 cents last year. In Rocher-Percé, it was 12.8 cents, compared to an average of 11.6 cents last year.

Government actions in recent months have lowered the average profit margin by 3 to 4 cents, depending on the sector.

The report by economist Robert Clark, published in May 2024, who was tasked with investigating the practices of oil companies, concluded that the Gaspé region had the highest annual pre-tax gasoline price in the province over the past decade.

Furthermore, for the third time since 2019, a report showed that the annual profit margin for retailers in Gaspé was the highest in the last decade.

The expert noted in his report, for example, that the profit margin in Gaspé rose from 9 cents in 2021 to 15.2 cents in 2023.

According to him, lower sales volume did not explain the higher prices charged in the region.
The Quebec government has since forwarded the Clark report to the Competition Bureau.

Still no commitment to Quebec content in wind farms Read More »

CSN protests against the private sector health care

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

CHANDLER – On February 26, the CSN protested against the privatization of the health care and social services network, outside the Chandler office of the Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin. The protest was part of the CSN’s “For a Truly Public Network” campaign. 

Serge Saint-Pierre, president of the Centrale des syndicats nationaux (CSN) regional council for Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, points out that the network has undergone numerous reforms for over 30 years, the last one being the one that led to the creation of Santé Québec last year. 

“We have always advocated public health care rather than private health care,” Mr. Saint-Pierre points out. 

In the Gaspé Peninsula, the union representative notes that some doctors have left the public network for the private sector. “We are afraid that with the reform that has begun, there will be more and more. When we talk about the private sector, we are talking about profit and people have to pay. The government says it won’t cost anything, we will pay the bill. Everywhere the private sector has set up shop, costs have increased and users have had to pay,” notes the president, who wants to raise awareness among users. 

“At some point, they will be forced to take money out of their pockets if we make more and more room for the private sector,” adds Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

“In the private sector, when cases are too heavy, we return them to the public sector. They only take cases with the possibility of making money, that is to say, cases that are not too heavy,” maintains the union representative. 

The CSN criticized the lack of access to local MNAs Catherine Blouin (Bonaventure) and Stéphane Sainte-Croix (Gaspé). 

“We wanted to talk to the Members of the National Assembly and it was never possible,” he says. 

With the Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre facing a $40 million budget cut, Mr. Saint-Pierre says essential services will be affected. 

“Cutting $40 million in the Gaspésie makes no sense. There are people who will not be able to afford to get treatment, who will not receive services at the local level,” says Mr. Saint-Pierre. 

CSN protests against the private sector health care Read More »

Drinking water: Finally an agreement between New Carlisle and Paspebiac 

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

NEW CARLISLE – After five years of efforts, a memorandum of understanding between New Carlisle and Paspebiac for their drinking water supply was finalized. 

This agreement opened the door to an increase in government assistance, easing the financial burden on the two municipalities, each of which had various tasks to complete to keep their water systems up to date. 

“After several studies on solutions, whether it be a green sand filtration system, the production capacity of the Town of Paspébiac, the distribution and supply capacity between the two municipalities together to supply both systems and once the study was presented that mentioned sharing the network, a protocol was developed that took a year and we arrived with a great agreement,” says New Carlisle Mayor David Thibault. 

The protocol outlines the roles and responsibilities in terms of infrastructure, production costs and billing. 

The mayor of New Carlisle sees three advan tages for both municipalities. “On the west side of Paspebiac, there was a little lack of However, New Carlisle faces a challenge with the new school that is currently under construction. While the water and sewer network was connected in the summer of 2024, it lacks the pressure needed to supply the school’s sprinklers. 

“The urgency to act is that during the winter, we will work on the plans and specifications for the reservoir in the centre of the municipality which will compensate for the lack of pressure for the sprinkler network. Subsequently, it ensures the technological update for the distribution of the Paspebiac network, which is 30 or 40 years old, because the two networks of Paspebiac and New Carlisle must talk to each other,” notes Mr. Thibault, who is also a firefighter. 

In 2022, the project was estimated at $10 million. 

“At 90%, there will be $1 million left over 30 years. It is not a large amount, but the result will be extraordinary for both sides,” calculates the mayor. 

New Carlisle had a problem with the aesthetics of the water, which turned brown, caused by a chemical reaction between manganese and chlorine. The issue, however, had no impact on the health of the population. 

The project still requires approval from the Quebec government, but with the new school project at stake, there is an urgent need to move forward quickly. 

“The issue of the delay will be approval for the PRIMEAU program. During the winter, the Eastern Shores School Board will put pressure on the Ministry of Education, and us with our local MNA (Member of the National Assembly) to move forward as quickly as possible. If we get an OK this winter, we will make the plans and specifications for construction in the summer of 2025 for commissioning in the fall for the opening of the school in 2026. That is our schedule. It is a response to the delay of civil servants. We want to reach the finish line at the same time,” says the mayor. pressure. During a fire or a breakdown past the Tim Horton’s, it lacked pressure. The planned New Carlisle reservoir will be able to supply the west side of Paspebiac. By combining the infrastructures, rather than 65%, we could get 90% or 95% of subsidies to update the Paspebiac distribution network and the New Carlisle reservoir. It’s a win-win for both municipalities,” says Mr. Thibault. 

Drinking water: Finally an agreement between New Carlisle and Paspebiac  Read More »

 Midterm review for Catherine Blouin

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CARLETON-SUR-MER – Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) for Bonaventure, Catherine Blouin, has announced her intention to run for a second term in the October 2026 general election. 

In an interview, marking the halfway point of her term, the MNA was asked to comment on the announcement of Liberal MNA Marwah Rizqy’s departure at the end of her current term, citing the difficulty of balancing family life with young children and her role as MNA. 

Catherine Blouin, who has two children slightly older than her colleague, acknowledges the challenge. “I’m not going to hide the fact that it is a challenge. It requires a lot of organization and I understand Marwah’s situation and I would have made the same decision if my children were the same age as hers. My daughters are a little older, and I consider the situation to be a little different,” says Ms. Blouin. 

Pausing for a few seconds in her response, she adds: “I’m not the only one who has a logistical challenge with my family. I think of nurses or a single parent every other week, or the fly-in-fly-outs. I don’t want to complain: it means I’m away from my children three nights a week, several weeks a year,” she continues. 

However, it is a privilege for her daughters to see the workings of Parliament and the MNA feels an awakening for political life. “I’m lucky. It’s going very well,” she says. 

“If things continue in this direction, it (my decision) will be in ‘yes’ column. I’ll be a candidate in 2026,” she clearly states. 

On the balance sheet, the cellular coverage for which consultations are being conducted by Telus for the installation of towers and the electoral map saga are the two major elements that Catherine Blouin brings up in the midterm assessment. 

“When I think of all the work done on this file and the safeguarding of the two ridings in the Gaspésie, the protection of the political weight of the Gaspésie, it is a great source of pride,” emphasizes the elected official. 

Several everyday issues impacting citizens have been resolved. Ms. Blouin notes that 95% of her work moves in that direction. “This is what motivates me the most to continue to advance files. It makes a real difference. That’s why we want to get into politics. In any case, in my case, it was to help people concretely and help my region. When we get calls from happy citizens, it feels good. We  tell ourselves that we are in the right place,” mentions Ms. Blouin. 

With two years left in the current mandate, housing and daycare spaces remain among her top priorities. “There are several spaces that have been delivered, several housing units that have been built. There are still several sites under construction. We will have to work hard to deliver all the expected daycare spaces and support the many developers who are raising their hands,” says the MNA, who wants to seize all the opportunities. 

On railway issues, unlike her colleague from Gaspé, Stéphane Sainte-Croix, who says he doubts that a train will arrive in Gaspé in December 2026, Catherine Blouin understands that the deadline is tight. “When I ask questions, I am told that it is possible,” she says, while the estimate from the Ministry of Transport states that the construction period is 28 months. The contract for the last of the four major calls for tenders has still not been awarded. 

The MNA remains cautious about the start of construction work on the new emergency and intensive care unit at Maria Hospital. The Gaspé Peninsula Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) is in discussions with engineering firms to choose one of them to assess the building’s capacity to take on more infrastructure. 

Although she isn’t ready to commit to saying the first nail will be driven before the end of her term, she is optimistic. “It is certainly desirable. We had done what was necessary to speed up the process. The last news was that the contract had not yet been awarded. We are continuing to monitor it very closely. Every week, I look at where we are. My wish is really to advance the project considerably,” explains the Bonaventure MNA. 

Regarding gasoline prices, which vary significantly within her riding, seeing very low prices in the west of the county and very high prices in the east, she acknowledges the issue. 

“I am very sensitive to the issues surrounding the price of gasoline because it is an essential daily expense,” mentions the elected official, mentioning the tabling of the report that was submitted and that a parliamentary committee is looking into the matter. 

“We are currently evaluating what we can do to ensure that Quebecers pay a fair price,” she adds. 

Her colleague from Gaspé, Stéphane Sainte-Croix, has indicated he will not conduct a midterm review but will focus on the current parliamentary session, which ends in December. 

 Midterm review for Catherine Blouin Read More »

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