The resignation of Premier François Legault on January 14, 2026, has sparked a wave of reflection and critique from readers of the Montreal Gazette. In a series of published letters, a clear consensus emerges: his government's policies did little to strengthen the French language and failed to deliver meaningful improvements to Quebec's strained public services, particularly healthcare.
A Legacy of Unmet Promises on Language and Services
Readers directly challenge Legault's assertion that he did everything he could for Quebecers. Carl Hager of Gatineau contends that the premier's approach to the French-English dynamic was overly simplistic and ineffective. He argues that the government's strategy of targeting non-francophones did not yield success in protecting the French language. Furthermore, Hager states the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government did not deal effectively with core issues like education and health services.
This sentiment is echoed by Frank Baldassare of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, who describes the end of the Legault-Dubé era as closing a "deeply frustrating and disappointing" chapter. He points to a litany of perceived failures: unfulfilled promises of health-care reform, problematic policies on education and the economy, and costly project fiascos like SAAQclic and the Northvolt battery plant.
Healthcare System Left in Crisis
The letters paint a dire picture of the healthcare system Legault leaves behind. Baldassare notes that emergency rooms remain overcrowded, wait times are growing, and professionals are warning of a system stretched beyond its limits. The government's solutions are described as slow, bureaucratic, and disconnected from the exhausting realities faced by nurses, doctors, and support staff.
Instead of efficiency, top-down management and repeated restructuring bred confusion. The departure of Health Minister Christian Dubé alongside Legault does not solve these systemic problems, but it does end a period where many Quebecers felt unheard. Readers express hope that future leadership will prioritize genuine collaboration, transparency, and policies "grounded in care rather than control."
This call for a new approach is supported by Lili Yesovitch of Côte-St-Luc, who, in response to an opinion piece by Dr. Michael Kalin, urges the incoming premier and health minister to listen to front-line workers. She emphasizes that logical suggestions from professionals are needed to correct two decades of flawed "improvements" to the system.
Broader Community Concerns Beyond Language
The published letters also highlight other community issues that readers felt were neglected. Robert Tittler of N.D.G. raises the problem of broken fare machines on Montreal buses, arguing that while crackdowns on métro fare evasion make headlines, significant revenue is lost daily due to malfunctioning equipment.
On a national scale, Robert Peck of Ottawa advocates for federal intervention to save the Last Post Fund National Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire. As the son of a Second World War veteran, he details the unsustainable financial challenges facing this National Historic Site and calls on Veterans Affairs Canada to assume ownership, as it has for similar cemeteries in Halifax and Esquimalt, B.C. He has launched a petition to the House of Commons, urging action by Remembrance Day 2026.
The collective voice from the Gazette's letters section suggests that for many, Legault's tenure will be remembered for its divisive language politics and its inability to deliver tangible progress on the everyday issues that matter most to Quebecers.
