QUEBEC CITY -- Liberal leader Dominique Anglade hopes to distinguish herself in the run-up to the election by proposing less "paternalism" and more "regionalism" for the regions.

She presented Thursday, in Trois-Rivières, her "Charter of the Regions" in the hope of gaining support, at a time when her party is experiencing a sharp decline in the polls.

The Liberal Party is now polling at only 17 per cent, compared to 44 per cent for Premier François Legault's party, according to the most recent Léger poll.

On Thursday, the Liberal leader proposed several measures to give power back to the regions, so that they can determine the number of immigrants they want to receive.

So less paternalism where people decide at the top, and more regionalism where people on the ground make the decisions," she said.

She would make sure to have a deputy minister, supported by a secretariat with civil servants, in each of the 17 regions of Quebec to advance local issues.

This would be in addition to having regional ministers who would be "more accountable to their fellow citizens."

"It is not normal that the Université du Québec en Outaouais wants to do specific programs ... and that it is not able to do so because Quebec makes a different decision," Anglade said.

As premier, she would be responsible for the application of the Charter of the Regions: "We will give all the necessary teeth to ensure that the voice of each region is heard."

While in Rivière-du-Loup on Thursday, Legault severely criticized the Liberal plan, which he said "adds bureaucracy."

"It's not a good idea," he said. "It has already existed to have a deputy minister per region, and we realized in the past that it was not efficient."

"The Department of Transportation has a transportation office in each region. Does transportation report to that person or would it report to the Deputy Minister in the region?"

"One thing I learned in management is that when two people are in charge, no one is in charge anymore," he said.

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In order to "boost the regional economy," the Liberals also plan to double natural resource royalties, increase the envelope for local initiatives by $500 million, and review taxation.

Currently, buildings such as schools and hospitals are exempt from property taxes. "A Liberal government would pay 100 per cnet of its municipal taxes," said Anglade.

The Liberal Charter of the Regions, a 30-page document, is the result of some 20 consultations with more than 1,400 people. The Liberal Party has only two MNAs outside of Montreal.

When asked why she did not concentrate all her efforts in the metropolis, Anglade said that her party was determined to represent all Quebecers.

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She also said she did not feel threatened by former Montreal mayoral candidate Balarama Holness, who has created a new political party called "Mouvement Québec."

By his own admission, Holness is targeting English-speaking and ethnocultural votes in the West Island ridings -- Liberal strongholds that he feels have been abandoned by Anglade's party.

"I am very confident that people will look at this and say, 'We want to have a strong voice in the National Assembly and that goes through the Liberal Party of Quebec,'" said Anglade.

"Throw in the towel? On the contrary! Today, what we are doing is to start the machine. We have to go and meet each person to present our vision."

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on April 21, 2022.