I'm having the darnedest time figuring out Parti Quebecois math. I had a hard enough time with the "new math" way back when but this is a whole new concept.

Pauline Marois is promising 40,000 new jobs over 3 and half years with her new economic plan.

But Quebec lost 50,000 jobs since the Pequistes came to power.

It's a $2 billion dollar plan that doesn't even get back to square one -- and ironically costs about the same amount as this year's current deficit.

The PQ's promise of a balanced budget has evaporated like the morning dew. Now they don't even want to talk about it.

Where is the money going to come from? Quebec is broke and with politics of division and identity, the world isn't exactly beating our doors down to invest here.

The rest of North America is growing while Quebec is bordering on recession.

Jobs and the economy are not the PQ's priority.

Private investment is not coming in and it will take more than discounted electricity to accomplish it.

There is no climate of confidence.

It's private money that creates jobs, but in typical PQ fashion this latest folly is based on massive government intervention.

Let's be honest this plan is designed as an election platform, nothing more, nothing less. Take it and 3 bucks and you can buy a ticket for the metro.

And that's math I understand. Nothing from nothing leaves nothing.

Charter of ever-changing Values

If you look up improvisation in the dictionary do you get a picture of Bernard Drainville holding his charter?

The government has received 25,000 comments on its 'Values' website. Of course, all those comments are for the government's eyes only.

But now it appears the PQ may remove the opting-out clause for hospitals, universities, municipalities and so on.

It's also going to make it against the law for elected Jews and Muslims and others to wear signs of their faith while in office.

The PQ is hardening its position, not compromising.

Then you have our Minister for Montreal, the supremely confident Jean-Francois Lisée, telling the top four mayoral candidates that they don’t understand the city.

As a concession to tightening the screws on minorities reports say the government would remove the crucifix from the Blue Room of the National Assembly.

Some people might have a problem with this, but not the Assembly of Roman Catholic Bishops who say it's a political issue and if the cross is removed they will respect the decision.

After all this time, we still haven't seen a bill on the Charter.

There have been and will be no real consultations.

That's because it will be framed as an election issue and that is a dark and dangerous place to go.

All this from a government that got less than a third of the vote in the last election.

Circle your calendar for December 9th. That's where the smart money is going on election talk.

Another victory of the Keystone Kops might have one beneficial effect: perhaps traffic will be much better when they make all the lanes of Highway 20 westbound only.