The tone of debate was sharp in the National Assembly Tuesday as the Parti Quebecois painted a picture of Liberals not caring about some of Quebec's most vulnerable.
In the latest of recent cost-cutting measures and rumours, the premier dismissed a report he will cut a subsidy of $4.30 per day for mentally disabled people who are looking for work.
Couillard said what's needed is to cut bureaucracy and give more money to actual services.
The PQ isn’t buying it, however.
“How can you propose to lower taxes on businesses and at the same time propose to cut back on the help students are getting for their homework?” said PQ MNA of Marie-Victorin Bernard Drainville.
The debate comes as potential PQ leader Pierre Karl Peladeau says the deficit may not be such a big deal and he instead wants to protect social services.
The CAQ opposition was surprised by his statement.
“One thing is clear is that Mister Peladeau right now is a big spender. Maybe he's trying to get some support of the left wing of the Parti Quebecois,” said CAQ leader Francois Legault.
Clearly trying to stand out as a political veteran with experience, unlike PKP, is Jean-Francois Lisee,
“In a leadership race, people are tested and we need to know for sure that our next leader, whoever he is or she is, can be tested in a race,” said Lisee.
The Liberals said Peladeau's stance is odd, particularly for a business tycoon.
“It doesn't make much sense to me. We're talking about making sure that our kids can benefit from a unique and worthy social safety net. For that to happen there have to be the public funds available to do so,” said Liberal MNA for D’Arcy McGee David Birnbaum.
