Fréchette and Drainville face off in first CAQ leadership debate

QUÉBEC — Tensions flared Saturday in Quebec City as Christine Fréchette and Bernard Drainville faced off in the first debate to succeed Premier François Legault as leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec.

The proposed “third link” bridge connecting Quebec City and Lévis quickly moved to the centre of the clash.

Fréchette accused Drainville’s preferred route of serving his “ego,” while Drainville countered that she was blocking the project with too many conditions.

“To sum it up: I’ll do it, and Christine is putting it on hold because she’s imposing so many conditions that it won’t happen,” he said.

The “third link” refers to a long‑proposed transportation project to build a new highway link, likely a bridge‑tunnel, across the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis — a city on the south shore of the river — to improve mobility and freight access and reduce pressure on the two existing inter‑river crossings.

Fréchette, who proposes a corridor farther east in partnership with the private sector, said she had consulted local residents and found little support for Drainville’s route.

“I called people to consult them, and very quickly I was told that no one had ever been asked, even in Lévis,” she said. “The route is chosen for them, for the people here, not for you, not for your ego.”

Drainville responded: “I don’t think it’s a good idea to get into personal attacks. I think we need to stay respectful because we’re going to have to work together afterward.”

Drainville and Fréchette are the only two candidates vying for the top role, which opened up when Legault announced in January he was stepping down as leader.

On shale gas, Drainville said he supported natural resource development but opposes hydraulic fracturing.

“If you ask me to choose between water and gas, I will always choose water,” he said.

Fréchette said she is open to reopening the discussion but would prioritize social acceptance and environmental standards.

“The proposal I made is to discuss it, to debate it. The context has changed a lot in recent months, even in recent days, with the conflict in Iran,” she said.

Both candidates agreed on the need to shrink the size of government. Drainville said he would reduce the cabinet to 20 members, though he declined to say which ministers would be cut. Fréchette did not give a number but emphasized efficiency and promised that Drainville would have a role at the cabinet table if she won.

Drainville pledged to make Fréchette deputy premier if he became CAQ leader.

Both candidates outlined their broader plans. Fréchette said she aimed to build a “more sustainable and efficient public sector,” while Drainville highlighted his focus on reducing government bureaucracy and supporting regional development.

About 300 people attended the debate at the Espace Saint-Grégoire, a former church in Quebec City converted into an event hall. The event was also streamed online.

Just before the debate, Treasury Board president France-Élaine Duranceau endorsed Fréchette.

“We share the same vision of a more effective state, focused on its core missions. A government that fully leverages its tools, including public contracts, to support our (small and medium-sized enterprises) and our economy,” se said on social media.

This was the first of at least two debates in the CAQ leadership race, with the next scheduled for Laval next week. The party has just under 20,600 members eligible to vote in a party-wide membership vote.

The deadline to join and secure the right to vote was March 13, and the new leader is expected to be announced on April 12.

This report from The Canadian Press was first published on March 21, 2026.

Thomas Laberge, The Canadian Press