Waning in the polls, Charest keeps plugging his Plan Nord

VAL D’OR – Plugging away at his economic platform despite polls showing waning support for his Liberals, Premier Jean Charest announced a new remote-training program for Plan Nord that would get Quebec universities in the south to tailor courses for workers in the north.

The program would cost $50 million over five years and make use of communication technologies to train people in the regions.

“By offering locally the training needed in the different regions, we would prevent the exodus of workers and students from their regions,” Charest said.

The program would create a university network that would work with regional councils to tailor courses to the needs of each region, he added.

The premier stayed on message despite growing woes for the governing Liberal Party.

Two separate polls showed the Parti Québecois in first place, while another survey, commissioned by The Gazette, CJAD 800, the Quebec Community Groups Network and the Association for Canadian Studies, suggested anglophone voters feel there are no real alternatives to the Liberals.

Charest says he doesn’t comment on polls.