Social issues
Legault apologized to First Nations and Inuit in October 2019 for discrimination they suffered in dealing with the state, noting the Government of Quebec had failed in its duty to them. He acknowledged that apologies are but a first step, and more work needs to be done to break down barriers and rectify long-standing problems.[24]
In May 2024, Legault criticized pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses, saying police should dismantle an "illegal" pro-Palestinian encampment at Montreal’s McGill University.[25]
In October 2025, his government tabled Bill 1, which proposes a draft constitution for the province. It modifies many provincial laws, including the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.[26]
In 2026, the Musée national de l’histoire du Québec will open, focusing on the history of the "French-speaking Québécois nation".[27]
Secularism
Having run on the platform during the 2018 election, on March 28, 2019, the Quebec government tabled its long-awaited secularism bill. Bill 21, entitled "An Act respecting the laicity of the State", if made law, would ban public workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. This would include any public employee who carries a weapon, including police officers, courthouse constables, bodyguards, prison guards and wildlife officers, as well as Crown prosecutors, government lawyers and judges, school principals, vice-principals and teachers.[28] The bill invoked notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to prevent it from being overturned by the courts.[29]
The bill passed on June 17 by a 73–35 vote, with backing of the Parti Québécois while the Liberals and Quebec Solidaire were opposed. The Coalition Avenir Quebec government also introduced a last-minute amendment toughening the law, making provisions for a minister to verify that it is being obeyed and to demand corrective measures if necessary.[30][31]
Secularism
Having run on the platform during the 2018 election, on March 28, 2019, the Quebec government tabled its long-awaited secularism bill. Bill 21, entitled "An Act respecting the laicity of the State", if made law, would ban public workers in positions of authority from wearing religious symbols. This would include any public employee who carries a weapon, including police officers, courthouse constables, bodyguards, prison guards and wildlife officers, as well as Crown prosecutors, government lawyers and judges, school principals, vice-principals and teachers.[28] The bill invoked notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to prevent it from being overturned by the courts.[29]
The bill passed on June 17 by a 73–35 vote, with backing of the Parti Québécois while the Liberals and Quebec Solidaire were opposed. The Coalition Avenir Quebec government also introduced a last-minute amendment toughening the law, making provisions for a minister to verify that it is being obeyed and to demand corrective measures if necessary.[30][31]
Language
In May 2022, The CAQ government of Legault passed Bill 96, with 78 MNAs in favour (from the CAQ and Québec solidaire) and 29 against (from the Liberal Party and Parti Québécois).[35] The bill strengthens the 1970s Charter of the French Language bill.
In that same year Legault caused some controversy when he stated that Quebec risked losing French as an official language if Quebec did not have more control over immigration policy. He compared it to the U.S. state of Louisiana which once spoke French as a majority.[36][37][38]
Immigration
In Quebec, the leader of the CAQ, François Legault, controversially linked immigration to "violence" and "extremism." He also expressed concern about the threat that immigration of non-French speakers poses to the province's "national cohesion." Despite Legault's apologies for his comments, the immigration debate has been described as superficial, focusing on numbers and ambiguous concepts such as the province's capacity for integration.[39] Experts and academics offer varied opinions on the matter. Pierre Fortin, Professor Emeritus of Economics at UQAM, describes the figure proposed by Blackburn as "unreasonable," warning that it could lead to administrative chaos and encourage xenophobic and racist attitudes toward immigrants.[39] On the other hand, Mireille Paquet, Professor of Political Science at Concordia University, questions this theory, indicating that research does not provide definitive answers and that negative reactions against immigrants are more due to feelings of insecurity among the non-immigrant population, feelings that can be exacerbated by public policies such as cuts to social services.[39]
Various human rights and immigrant support organizations have expressed alarm over statements made by members of the Coalition Avenir Québec government, accusing them of contributing to a climate of anxiety by attributing the public services crisis to immigrants.
COVID-19 pandemic
During the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, Legault organized daily press conferences with Director of Public Health Horacio Arruda and Minister of Health Danielle McCann, starting March 12, to encourage the population to stay home and keep hygiene measures that would help suppress the spread of the virus. In May, Canada's chief science adviser, Mona Nemer, criticized Quebec for its lack of testing and tracing strategy. However, his government saw high approval ratings during the pandemic. His government's handling of long-term care homes during the pandemic was criticized in a report by the province's ombudswoman.[62][63]
Environment
In November 2020, Legault announced the government's plan to tackle climate change, which would involve a ban on the sale of new gas-powered vehicles from 2035 (commercial vehicles and second-hand cars would be exempt). Some experts have said that rather than focusing on electric vehicles, more funds should be committed to public transit and climate change mitigation.[64]
Education
The Legault government passed Bill 40 on February 8, 2020. This expropriated the province's 60 French school boards, turning them into school service centres.
Bill 40 was passed to expropriate school boards that have been running in English style for 175 years.[65] This did not include nine English school boards. But the move is seen as further undermining English-language education in the province.[66]
In April 2022, following a controversy over academic freedom at the University of Ottawa, the Legault government tabled Bill 32, a bill on Academic freedom in universities.[67][68] The bill passed in June 2022.[69]
Economy
Legault and his government has promoted a buy local campaign. His government in early 2020 formed an online directory of local Quebec retailers in a website called Le Panier Bleu — or Blue Basket. The aim of Le Panier Bleu is to be a local version and a competitor to Amazon to sell Quebec products.[73][74] As early as November 2019 Legault supported calls for the creation of a Quebec version of Amazon, which his economy minister described as a way to serve nationalist customers.[75][76] In 2025, his government tabled legislation to reduce interprovincial trade barriers in the midst of the United States trade war with Canada.[77]
2022 election
Legault led the CAQ again in the 2022 general election to a second straight majority. Legault gained 14 seats in the election, expanding his caucus.[78]
Other events
Legault endorsed the Conservative Party of Canada in the 2021 Canadian federal election.[79]
In April 2023, the government cancelled plans for a third link for vehicles between Quebec City and Lévis. After a by-election defeat and a dip in popularity, Legault's government announced a bridge and a tunnel for the project.[80] That same year, the government passed Bill 24, which raised the salaries of MNAs and Cabinet ministers.[81]
In the fall of 2023, Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt announced a new battery gigafactory to be built near Montreal.[82] Initially the factory intended to start production in 2026, but the timeline was delayed by 12 to 18 months according to CAQ minister Pierre Fitzgibbon.[83]
Resignation
From the 2018 general election until 2023, the Legault government enjoyed one of the highest approval ratings in Canada. However, from late 2023, the situation reversed; the Legault government become one of the most unpopular provincial governments in Canada, suffering from poor opinion polling throughout the 43rd Quebec Legislature.[93] The party also lost the Jean-Talon, Terrebonne, and Arthabaska by-elections, while losing 8 other MNAs due to either expulsions or resignations from caucus. In particular, Cabinet ministers Lionel Carmant, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Christian Dubé, Pierre Fitzgibbon, and Andrée Laforest all resigned due to various reasons since the 2022 election.[94][95][96][97]
