André Fortin in studio at CHIP 101.9

André Fortin in studio at CHIP 101.9

The outgoing MNA for Pontiac, André Fortin, was in CHIP 101.9’s studio on September 21, appearing live on our French-language morning show Bonjour Pontiac between 8 and 9 a.m. Following the live discussion he sat down for an interview in English as well.

When asked about what he feels most proud of over his past eight years in office, Fortin pointed to the relationships that he and his staff have built with local residents.

Fortin was also asked about some local priorities that he’s highlighted on the campaign trail, specifically in regards to students from the English school board studying at the St. Marie School in Otter Lake, which he compared to the situation in Campbell’s Bay, where the English and French elementary schools share a building. When asked why the solution he proposed hasn’t been implemented, Fortin blamed the CAQ government.

Fortin also touched on how he plans to address big infrastructure projects such as water treatment facilities in small, rural municipalities in the Pontiac. He pointed to the work done in Chapeau as an example of how partnerships with the provincial and federal government can make these big expenditures feasible.

Fortin was also asked about the state of the Liberal Party going into this election, as roughly a third of their caucus, including former cabinet ministers like Gaetan Barrette and Carlos Leitao, aren’t seeking re-election. In addition, their costed platform had to be revised recently as its debt figures were off by $16 billion.

The full interview with Fortin (16m) is available here.