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       Quebec Premier Francois Legault responds to reporters questions in Quebec City, on Sept. 9.

       Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press

       Premier Francois Legault says the federal Liberals and NDP are dangerous for Quebec because they want to reduce the province’s autonomy.

       Legault made the comments in Quebec City, a day after Wednesday’s second French-language leaders’ debate during the federal election campaign.

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       The premier says Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh want to impose national standards for health care, which he says is an appropriation of provincial powers.

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       He praised Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, however, for promising to increase health transfers without conditions, to give the province more control over immigration and for pledging not to join a challenge to Quebec’s secularism law, known as Bill 21.

       But Legault says he is unhappy the Tory leader wants to cancel a $6-billion child care deal the province signed with the Liberals, adding that O’Toole needs to explain himself on the issue.

       Legault says that while he won’t tell Quebecers how to vote, he says the province needs more autonomy, not less.

       This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

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