QUEBEC CITY – The Couillard government kicked off the spring parliamentary session Tuesday with some tax breaks. Finance Minister Carlos Leitao said Quebec will offer a two-year tax holiday for companies making large investments of more than $100 million.
The government figures the measure will generate at least 25 new projects and create 15,000 new jobs.
But it didn’t stop protesters Tuesday from complaining about austerity measures. A group of daycare workers handed MNAs fliers as they walked into work.
“We have no choice with this government,” said FIPEQ-CSQ President Kathleen Courville. “The mobilization has to be very intense.”
They promised to hound the Family Minister this session over decisions to scrap the universal daycare rate and “optimize” the system.
They’re not alone.
Thursday, more than 1,000 protesters are expected in the capital to deliver an anti-austerity message. The government, though, is staying the course.
“All the organizations and agencies of the government will have to make serious efforts,” said Treasury Board President Martin Coiteux.
That includes doctors. Health Minister Gaétan Barrette wants them to take on more patients for the same pay. His patient-quota legislation will be studied in committee starting next week.
“If somebody has a better idea, so be it and be my guest,” he said.
Barrette would like to pass Bill 20 by June and he has shown he is not afraid to invoke closure.
It won’t be an easy session for the opposition. PQ MNAs, for one, are tangled up in a leadership race.
“Here we’re talking about the economy, jobs, everywhere in the regions, and the PQ has a meeting during the weekend where the only question is who’s going to be more radical than the other and what are the mechanics of a referendum,” Premier Philippe Couillard said. “It’s totally diassociated from real issues.”
The Liberals are less clear-cut when talking about immigration and the fight against radicalization.
“It’s a huge endeavour that really touches just about every area of society because you have to look at prevention as well as measures to protect public security,” said Quebec’s Immigration Minister Kathleen Weil.
The minister said she expects to table an action plan in June.
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