QUEBEC CITY — The fall session at the Quebec legislature began with the traditional greetings and handshakes but very soon, ministers were getting down to brass tacks, reiterating their goal of balancing the books by 2016.
“Everybody understands that there is an effort to put in order to go back to zero deficit,” said Health Minister Gaétan Barrette, who is still in talks with doctors about pushing back their pay increases.
To get there, the Liberals have created two special committees: one for program review and the other for tax reform. Their first reports are due later this fall. But already, rumours are swirling that the government will cut school boards and services to students, health centres, daycares and now to parental leave.
“Those are clearly leaks coming from part of the structures of the public service, which is acting to maybe slow down certain changes. This is the way I see this,” said Premier Philippe Couillard.
The premier insisted that despite what civil servants may say, no decisions have been made.
Still, the rumour had many prospective parents panicking and the opposition crying foul.
“Parental leave was put in place to help women have careers,” said Parti Québecois interim leader Stéphane Bédard.
Cutting services is unfair, added the Coalition Avenir Quebec, considering the government is still mismanaging public funds.
Party leader François Legault questioned whether spending $50 million to renovate the National Assembly was appropriate in this context.
“I think that right now, with the public finances, the situation we have in Quebec, we have to show the example,” he told reporters.
This is precisely what President of the Treasury Board Martin Coiteux set out to do on Tuesday, with new rules ramping up the vetting process for public contracts.
“Public contracts must be considered in terms of getting the best value for the taxpayer’s money,” concluded Coiteux.
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