Premier Philippe Couillard has a new attack strategy against the Parti Québécois – he says the party and what it stands for are detrimental to Quebec.
Couillard says the PQ's musings about one day acquiring some federal assets are hurtful to Quebec.
“Financially, economically, socially, politically, it's trying always to hide the truth from Quebecers in terms of what the situation really is and what the situation would be,” he said.
One looming situation is a possible widespread strike by the public sector this fall. Union members protested in front of the hotel where the Liberal caucus was meeting inside.
The government is negotiating increasing the retirement age from 60 to 62 for civil servants and is laying the groundwork to raise it for other workers.
“We're asking Quebecers to be with us on this particular issue because it's in the interest of everybody,” said Treasury Board President Martin Coiteux.
Another delicate issue on the fall agenda: the Liberals' anti-hate speech bill. Bill 59 has been criticized for not being specific in its definition of hate speech, and for giving broad powers to the Human Rights Commission to define and investigate hate speech. The premier has said he is open to changing Bill 59 to define more clearly what constitutes hate speech.
The PQ says poor job figures that show Quebec is lagging behind other provinces in job growth mean Couillard must issue a mini-budget, but Couillard shot down that idea.
“I'm sorry to disappoint them but both on revenues and expenses we are actually slightly better than what we were hoping for,” he said.
Couillard often says he doesn't want to take sides in the federal election but he had a piece of advice for Quebecers voting in the Oct. 19 election – he says they should vote for a party that makes them feel as though they're participating in a united Canada.
