With an election this month, the Quebec budget may die

QUEBEC – If Quebec Premier Pauline Marois doesn’t call an election herself the two opposition parties can force one.

Both say they can’t support the budget that the Parti-Quebecois government brought in on Thursday.

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The budget projects a 1.75-billion-dollar shortfall in 2014-15 on revenue of 71.6 billion.

It also calls for rate hikes to Quebec’s signature, seven-dollar-a-day public childcare program to nine dollars by next year.

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Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard said it’s a PQ campaign launch rather than a budget because it hides detailed government expenses.

He said the PQ in some cases has re-announced policies already implemented by previous Liberal governments.

Francois Legault, leader of the right-of-centre Coalition party, estimates the budgetary measures would cost families about 500 dollars more per year.

The PQ minority government would need support from at least one opposition party for the budget to pass.

But with Marois widely expected to call an election this month, the legislature may never get the chance to vote on the budget.