The National Assembly wrapped up a fall session chalk full of cutbacks, reorganizations and protests Friday, and though the Liberals are defending their decisions, the opposition says the government doesn't have a mandate to impose so many cuts.
Premier Philippe Couillard admits he broke an election promise by raising daycare fees, but to do otherwise would have jeopardized the daycare program, he said.
“Obviously the decision regarding daycares has been difficult but it had to be made,” he said.
Making sure Quebec’s prized social programs stick around for the long term is behind decisions to reform pensions and make municipal employees pay more, reorganizing the health care system and making doctors work more.
Couillard says he's slashing $2 billion in government spending for future Quebecers.
“They're going to be free to decide, free to grow, free to create jobs and have families and live happy lives,” he said.
But Parti Quebecois Leader Stephane Bedard says the Liberals didn't talk about such austerity in the election.
"It's amazing that (the premier) said one thing and did the exact opposite," Bedard told a news conference in Quebec City.
Francois Legault, leader of the Coalition Avenir Quebec, told Quebecers not to believe Couillard's promise to cut taxes after fiscal 2016.
"Couillard said he wouldn't increase daycare fees (during the campaign) and he did," Legault said. "What is his word worth?"
Both Bedard and Legault accused the Liberals of not having an economic plan other than cutting spending and increasing taxes.
Legault says PQ and Liberal policies have left Quebec in bad shape.
“The Conference Board of Canada is saying that for 2015 Quebec will have the worst economic growth except for New Brunswick,” he pointed out.
Quebec solidaire says it's proud of pushing the government to commit to a Quebec gun registry, although it worries that may be an empty promise.
Also Friday, news broke that the PQ's star candidate for the leadership is making rookie mistakes.
Pierre Karl Peladeau contravened the MNA's ethics code by lobbying for his company, Quebecor.
The ethics commissioner said it was an honest mistake and Peladeau said he's learned his lesson.
The Parti Quebecois member of the legislature called the president of Investment Quebec last May to discuss a company that was looking to be bought. He also mentioned the subject at a national assembly committee in July.
Ethics commissioner Jacques Saint-Laurent said Friday that Peladeau's call to Investment Quebec president Mario Albert could give the impression he was trying to help his own company, Quebecor Inc.
Peladeau is still the controlling shareholder of the media conglomerate.
The media-mogul-turned-politician will not be sanctioned for the transgression.
The MNAs are now off to their ridings for two months, time to digest the first chunks of Liberal cutbacks and brace themselves for the spring session.
-- with files from The Canadian Press
