MONTREAL - A major Quebec union body is demanding a summit on taxation as a reaction to what it considers broken Parti Quebecois promises.
Louis Chabot, the leader of the Central Union of Quebec (CSQ) said the summit would help identify new sources of government revenue without having to cut public services, which it fears the government will try to do in order to balance the provincial budget.
Chabot expressed disappointment with the PQ, particularly for failing to raise taxes even higher on the highest-earners.
“The PQ program proposed two new tax brackets, they proposed to raise mining royalties, abolish the health tax and tackle tax avoidance. They’ve done none of these things,” said Chabot.
The CSQ wants the PQ to lean further left. “It is unfortunate that business people still have a disproportionate influence on the power in Quebec,” said Chabot. “Business lobbies exert a disproportionate influence in our society.”
The CSQ is also demanding an independent council to analyze economic social and cultural development.
Similar tasks are already done by the Institute for Contemporary Economics (IREC) and the Institute for Research and socioeconomic information (IRIS) but Chabot wants a board with a broader mandate.
The CSQ represents some 200,000 members, mainly in the field of education.
-With a file from the Canadian Press
