The CAQ was in the Lanaudiere region Thursday morning, as he made promises to parents of children with disabilities.

If elected, party leader Francois Legault said he wants to ensure these families get more financial help.

“I'm a parent myself so I can understand what these parents have to live for all their life. If I put myself in their shoes it's tough,” he said.

If elected, the party would give an additional $22 million dollars in government aid to parents with children who have disabilities.

In 2016, the Quebec government created a financial program for children with exceptional care needs.

The CAQ says more than half of families who applied were refused.

“I don't accept that there were more than 4,000 request and 54 per cent of the request were refused. It doesn't make sense, come on,” said Legault.

As helpful as the money may end up being, for some families, there's something missing – the money would only help families whose children are under 18, despite some needing parental care throughout their lives.

“All that's left for someone like me who cannot work anymore is welfare, so that's really not good,” said Marie-France Beaudry, whose 26-year-old son has spina bifida and cardiac problems.

Beaudry takes care of her son full-time and said she used to receive money from the government, but once her son turned 18, it stopped.

“The morning that he turns 18, the handicap is still there, the health problems are still there. His needs are the same. So life doesn't change because he turns 18,” she said.
 

Legault also spent the morning answering questions about his immigration policies; he wants to cut immigration in the province by 20 per cent, adding that newcomers would have to take a language test.

Legault now says, though, that he would be more flexible with older people.

“I would accept that maybe we can be more free about parents. But when you talk about brothers, sisters, I think that we must require that they learn French, that they find a job,” he said.

The Liberals used the opportunity to jump on Legault's proposed policy.

“Look at the big picture: less immigrants so you close the door for entrance, expulsion tests – so you open the door for expulsion and you break families. What a great proposal, what a socially advanced proposal,” said Couillard, sarcastically.