Quebec's political parties certainly sound like they're in pre-election mode.
Tuesday morning the Liberals were criticizing the current state of the health care system, while the PQ is in the midst of a week with dozens of announcements.
In what seems certain to become a campaign slogan, Liberal leader Philippe Couillard said repeatedly that without a strong economy, Quebec will have no way to pay for healthcare expenses.
Couillard was very critical of surgery waiting lists, and said the PQ government erred when it eliminated an incentive system that paid surgeons per procedure.
Eight years ago, when Couillard was health minister, the then-Liberal government set waiting times for hip and knee surgery at six months.
Recently released figures show more than 250 people in Montreal have been waiting at least that long for those surgeries.
Orthopedic surgeons at the Jewish General Hospital said the increase in waiting times has happened since the PQ took office.
Couillard said with the aging population, more people will be needing specialized surgery in order to maintain their mobility and remain productive.
Health minister Rejean Hebert has yet to respond to Couillard's statements.
