QUEBEC CITY – Opposition parties are pulling no punches when it comes to the PQ’s new economic plan.
“I find it particularly cynical that the government would present such a plan with only expenses, no revenues, no budget only to try to have an election, a ballot question on the economy, after having tried with a ballot question on the charter, on the school boards now they’re trying on the economy,” said Liberal leader Philippe Couillard.
Premier Pauline Marois felt the heat in Question Period.
“Your obsession is elections,” yelled Liberal opposition leader Jean-Marc Fournier.
Get breaking National news
On Monday, the Premier announced a plan to attract private investment with cheap hydro-power, speed up the renovation of schools and sports infrastructure, revive parts of Jean Charest’s “Plan Nord” and invest in research and clean technologies. Environmentalists applauded her vision. But the opposition called it a haphazard stimulus package, aimed at bringing back jobs that never should’ve left the province in the first place. Couillard compared Marois to an arsonist whose sudden desire is to become a firefighter.
“After having lost 45,000 jobs while the rest of the country created 145,000 jobs, they’re putting back $2 billion by 2017 to create 43,000 jobs, so even with their figures we’re minus 2,000,” he said.
Mostly, opposition parties want to know where the money will come from.
“They are not credible,” said CAQ leader François Legault. “You have more than 70 measures costing $2 billion and we don’t have this money.”
Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau remained firm-footed. “There are $700 million that were already available in the electrification fund and the green fund.”
Marceau argued the sums have been earmarked, except for $600 million he said he will have time to find in the next couple of years. The Liberals and the CAQ ask that Marceau quickly table a new budget. They want to know which services to the population will be jeopardized.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.