If she had to do it over again, Parti Quebecois Leader Pauline Marois says she wouldn’t have answered questions about Quebec sovereignty during the election campaign.
Marois made the comments while campaigning in Drummondville Saturday.
“I probably wouldn’t have answered questions about sovereignty, since the issue is about choosing a government, a solid government, and that’s what I’m going to offer,” she said in response to a reporter’s question.
Marois put on a brave face in the light of a new poll made public Saturday that put her far behind the Liberals.
“Everything is possible,” she said while campaigning in the Johnson riding alongside candidate Yves-François Blanchet.
Her positive attitude didn’t let up in Drummondville.
“The game is not finished and I’m sure that on Monday evening we will form the next government and I have a very good plan to present to the population of Quebec and I have a great team around me and we’re ready to govern,” she told a scrum of reporters outside of her campaign bus.
The Leger poll released early Saturday put the Liberals ahead with 38 per cent, the PQ had 29 per cent and the CAQ was surging with 23 per cent. Quebec solidaire came in fourth at nine per cent.
Francophones were still leaning towards the PQ, however, by a score of 35 to 29 over the Liberals.
Marois declined to comment on the poll when asked about it at a press conference Saturday. The PQ was ahead in the early polls with 37 per cent at the outset of the campaign on March 5.
The PQ took another swipe at the Liberal Party’s ethics record with two days to go before election day.
Two PQ ministers cast doubt on Philippe Couillard’s assertion that he doesn’t know who is named in documents police raids against the Liberals, the details of which can’t be published due to a publication ban.
According to media reports cited by the PQ in a news release, 11 people were implicated in a shady financing scheme in exchange for public contracts while Jean Charest was leading the party.
They say the Liberal Leader is displaying bad judgment in not trying to find out who those people are.
“Mr. Couillard had the choice it's a test of integrity and transparency he failed it,” said PQ minister Jean-Francois Lisee.
But Couillard countered that he can’t go against a judge’s orders and divulge the information.
“It's a total amateur play here, he said
“They are just throwing mud to try to gain some attention and it shows a high level of despair and panic in their ranks.”
Campaigning in Victoriaville Saturday, Couillard called on voters to give him a majority Monday.
He told a few dozen party supporters that the Liberals would launch their plans for the economy “within hours of the election."
Once again, he was loudly applauded when he vowed to increase English-language teaching for school children, putting it back into the sixth grade curriculum.
His ambitious campaign travel itinerary had him in Coalition Avenir Quebec territory Saturday, where a possible Liberal majority could be imperiled by the fast-rising CAQ.
CAQ Leader Francois Legault said he was encouraged by the most recent poll, which has shown a boost in his party’s fortunes.
Legault also told reporters Saturday that everything is possible and that he aims to be on top in the results on Monday.
He called out on undecided voters and urged them to change the 40-year dominance of the Liberals and PQ by choosing his party.
At a raucous rally in Boucherville Saturday night, CAQ Leader Francois Legault said only he can come through with major economic reforms, tax cuts and a charter of values that won't divide people, echoing comments he made earlier in the day.
"I think that for the first three weeks of the campaign Mr. Couillard was successful talking against the referendum but since the debate, people are getting interested about other subjects and they see that Mr. Couillard has nothing new to propose compared to Jean Charest and nine years of Jean Charest had a terrible end, said Legault.
"People want less tax, they want something new."
-- with files from The Canadian Press
