Lives & Legacy

We have always known that politics are politics. But when you see the slithery cold quality that frequently shades the practice of public service up close, it strikes a blow, and raises the question: Would it be so hard to do better?

There are few things more uniquely Quebec than the annual construction holiday – not poutine, not arguing over whether the Canadiens should be more active in the off-season, not even debating the proper pronunciation of “Vaudreuil.”

In my last column,I focused on why I love Quebec, as well as assessing some of its flaws. This week, I thought I would articulate the strengths and weaknesses of our country.

Let no one believe that the heart of any gardener isn’t ridden with dark envy and the capacity to act on it. Inside every gardener is a scavenger and thief, and it’s just a truth universally acknowledged that sometimes another garden has what you want.

Now that all good (and SO intense!) soccer/football people have had a nap or two to recover from the 2026 World Cup final, but before they turn to their screens for the return of Ted Lasso (coaching a women’s soccer/football team in Season 4, starting Aug. 5 on Apple TV), here are a few suggestions for some brand new non-soccer programming.

Eighty-nine days. That is the amount of time between now and the provincial election, currently scheduled for Oct. 5. But who is kidding who? The campaign is already in full swing. Premier Christine Fréchette last week announced she would be switching seats, opting to seek support in the riding of Trois-Rivières this fall instead of her current district, the South Shore constituency of Sanguinet. The CAQ leader grew up in Trois-Rivières, a point the party will surely feature prominently in the coming months. That is not the only thing the premier did last week, however. Her busy schedule started with a quick trip to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges riding of Soulanges, where she presided over the formal announcement of an affordable housing project. There is no surer sign of an election campaign than the premier driving all the way to St. Lazare to announce a 45-unit affordable housing project. Because when it comes to action to address the housing crisis, the CAQ is scrambling to find even the slimmest sliver of good news. The 45-unit project is a big deal in St. Lazare. It’s a big deal for Vaudreuil-Soulanges. But, let’s face it, on the scale of how many housing units are needed in the province, it’s a drop in the bucket. And how big is that bucket? Well, in 2022, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. said the number of new residences required to keep pace with demand was 860,000 by 2030. That is the total number of housing units needed — not just affordable housing units, but all residences. Back then, to meet that target, meant aiming for just more than 107,000 housing starts per year. Is Quebec on track to hit that goal? Not even close. In fact, in 2024, the CMHC reported there were only 41,221 housing starts. And last year, there were even fewer — 37,782. But it’s an election campaign, remember. This is no time to let failure get in the way. The premier came to St. Lazare on June 29 to outline all that the CAQ government is doing to alleviate the housing crisis that continues to drive cost-of-living costs through the roof for so many. That was the spin. And when asked by reporters about the thousands of Quebecers who, just days before the big July 1 moving day, could still not find housing they could afford, she acknowledged the stress that such situations engender. A lot of good that does. But she risked that for a chance to make a big announcement in a riding she no doubts would like to see vote CAQ again this election. Oh, and the one thing Fréchette did not mention, the federal government is contributing more to the project in St. Lazare than her government. There was no need for her to highlight that, though. As we get closer to the election, it will become more difficult to filter through all the spin. So keep your eye on the big picture, the larger context. And that means keeping an eye on what political parties do, rather than just on what they say. And who they say it to. On the topic of who they are talking to, that matters as well. Fréchette did not hesitate to be in St. Lazare to take what she framed as a victory lap in the region, an area that has the largest number of English-speaking residents off the island of Montreal. Yet, she has refused to participate in a pre-election debate in English. Vaudreuil-Soulanges is a bilingual community. We work and function in French, and promote the French language. But this is about being represented. And to be properly represented, you need to be seen. You need to be acknowledged. So let’s start there. Refusing to have a conversation in English does not promote French. It promotes a lack of respect. Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon also refused to participate in an English debate. He would rather promote his fear-mongering view that federalists are just supporting a long tradition of colonialism. A campaign is an opportunity to have a conversation. So let’s talk about what we want, and maybe even do it in both languages. There is time. We have 89 days. Brenda O’FarrellEditor-in-chief You are unauthorized to view this page.

This, in my not-always-so-humble opinion, is the absolute best time of the year.

On this past St. Jean Baptiste Day, I found myself saying “I love Quebec.” I was born here and will more than likely die here. Proof of my affection for my home province is I left to explore Canada and the world from 1980 to 2020, then came back to stay.

And just like that, the first herbs of the garden are ready to be harvested.

From back in the black-and-white days to today’s kaleidoscope of small-screen streaming options, television has offered many pleasures. This new handful of viewing recommendations dances nicely along that spectrum, from a period drama with a much needed modern perspective, a weekend of she-raging, a couple of spy thrillers and golf as a path to true grace (and a few gut-laughs). Onward!