Referendum “sujet du jour” at leaders’ lunch

QUEBEC CITY – One day after crossing swords in the first televised debate of the campaign, Pauline Marois, Philippe Couillard and François Legault sat down for an intimate meal.

The three leaders were taking part in a municipal summit.

They all sat at the same table, along with Montreal mayor Denis Coderre and Quebec City mayor Régis Labeaume. Even at a friendly lunch, sovereignty was the “sujet du jour.”

“You’ve seen Mme Marois at the debate, she cannot say she won’t have a referendum,” the Liberal leader told reporters. “Mr. Péladeau says he came into politics because of a referendum. Mme Goupil says she would not have come had she known there would be a referendum. And Mr. Lisée says maybe not in the first year, but we’ll have a referendum in the first term. So it’s organized confusion.”

As she entered the second half of the campaign, the PQ leader was clearly re-focusing her message, taking out full-page ads promoting the charter and her plan to create more wealth by drilling on Anticosti island.

But Marois’ ad campaign hit a glitch on Friday, when the Charbonneau commission demanded she stop using pictures of the judge for partisan purposes.

Couillard and Legault argued not only does Marois lack judgement, but she’s intentionally hiding her true intentions when it comes to holding a referendum.

“She’s maitaining a grey area over the referendum,” said the CAQ leader. “We say no to a referendum, yes to tax cuts and yes to job creation.”

PQ candidate in Jonquière and former minister Sylvain Gaudreault believes Marois cannot be any clearer.

“She was very, very clear (during the debate) because she said no referendum until the people will be ready,” said Gaudreault.

Marois told reporters the election wasn’t about a referendum, but about good government. However, the pressure on her to deliver a clear answer is intensifying and probably won’t let up until April 7.