Legault to create Quebec committee in bid to seek more autonomy from Ottawa

The National Assembly spring session in Quebec City is over, but, before the summer break, Premier Francois Legault announced a new commission that will look at how to strengthen Quebec powers within Canada.

The National Assembly spring session in Quebec City is over, but, before the summer break, Premier François Legault announced a new committee that will look at how to strengthen Quebec powers within Canada.

"We must continue to strengthen Quebec's autonomy within Canada," he said.

To help do this, Legault is setting up a committee made up of six experts to explore how Quebec could get more powers.

"The federal government does not respect our jurisdictions including in health care and I'm not the only government saying that," said Legault.

In his roughly 10-minute speech, Legault said Ottawa acts like Quebecers are not capable of governing themselves, and the federal government has intensified a trend towards centralization of powers and encroachment.

Opposition parties in Quebec City say the new committee is an admission of failure.

"If he had results after six years he wouldn't have needed that committee, so at face value it is an admission that the results are not there yet," said Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.