Quebec calls election 8 December
Nov 5, 2008 12:55:27 GMT -5
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Nov 5, 2008 12:55:27 GMT -5
So, what does this mean?
=========================================================================================================
Jean Charest calls Quebec election
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
QUEBEC - Premier Jean Charest confirmed Wednesday that Quebecers will vote in a provincial election on Dec. 8 and he made it clear from the outset the economy will be the driving issue in the campaign.
"You need political stability for economic prosperity," Charest told a news conference as he urged Quebecers to give him a majority government in 33 days.
Charest said he understands that Quebecers might not want an election just 20 months after giving him a minority government.
"But I also know in my heart and in my soul that, as we look ahead, we're facing an economic storm and that we need, as Quebecers, to prepare," the premier said. "And that we can't face an economic storm with three different pairs of hands on the rudder of our ship.
"In the end, though, there's an issue that the world cannot escape. It's not just about Quebec. The whole world right now is facing this economic situation and it includes us. And so we have to ask ourselves who will be at that helm when we face this storm."
The Liberals currently have 48 of the 125 seats in the national assembly and will be hoping to boost their support among the critical francophone vote to push them into majority territory.
Recent opinion polls have placed the Liberals ahead of the Parti Quebecois and the Action democratique du Quebec.
The ADQ has 39 seats and the PQ 36, while two are vacant.
If the Liberals win the election, it will be the first time since the 1950s that a government has won three mandates in a row. The last time was when the Union nationale got a third consecutive majority in 1956 after victories in 1948 and 1952.
The signs of an impending election this fall had been floating around since the federal election last month.
Charest made it clear he didn't see a productive session of the legislature ahead, insisting the ADQ and PQ were keen to obstruct his government or bring it down.
He bristled when the two parties derailed his choice for Speaker of the legislature and said they were playing political games when they managed to elect veteran PQ member Francois Gendron to the post.
The premier has emphasized his stewardship of the provincial economy and written the PQ off as a party only interested in sovereignty and ADQ Leader Mario Dumont as someone who changes positions based on opportunistic whims.
Charest has also firmed up his nationalist credentials, making more demands on the federal government. His government also recently began a campaign to promote the use of French.
One of the last pieces to be brought into place was Tuesday's release of the provincial economic statement by Finance Minister Monique Jerome-Forget.
She announced measures worth $249 million to limit the impact of the current global credit crisis.
Jerome-Forget also trotted out an additional surplus of $484 million for the current 2008-09 fiscal year, which boosts the government reserve to $2.3 billion to ensure balanced budgets this year and in 2009-10.
The measures announced include the indexing of welfare payments, while the amount used for calculating the tax credit for retirement income will rise from $1,500 to $2,000 one year earlier than mentioned in the last budget.
Charest is going to the polls at a time when the ADQ, which surprised Quebecers by taking second place and becoming the official Opposition in 2007, is struggling. It recently lost two legislature members to the Liberals, although Dumont dismissed the defections as minor.
The PQ, while higher in the polls under leader Pauline Marois, is still rebuilding from its catastrophic showing under then-leader Andre Boisclair in 2007. It was one of the worst results in the party's history although Marois insists she's ready to fight an election.
Charest has speeches scheduled before the Quebec City and Montreal chambers of commerce on Thursday where he will discuss his plans to ensure the province's economic security.
cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2008/11/05/7310686-cp.html
=========================================================================================================
Jean Charest calls Quebec election
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
QUEBEC - Premier Jean Charest confirmed Wednesday that Quebecers will vote in a provincial election on Dec. 8 and he made it clear from the outset the economy will be the driving issue in the campaign.
"You need political stability for economic prosperity," Charest told a news conference as he urged Quebecers to give him a majority government in 33 days.
Charest said he understands that Quebecers might not want an election just 20 months after giving him a minority government.
"But I also know in my heart and in my soul that, as we look ahead, we're facing an economic storm and that we need, as Quebecers, to prepare," the premier said. "And that we can't face an economic storm with three different pairs of hands on the rudder of our ship.
"In the end, though, there's an issue that the world cannot escape. It's not just about Quebec. The whole world right now is facing this economic situation and it includes us. And so we have to ask ourselves who will be at that helm when we face this storm."
The Liberals currently have 48 of the 125 seats in the national assembly and will be hoping to boost their support among the critical francophone vote to push them into majority territory.
Recent opinion polls have placed the Liberals ahead of the Parti Quebecois and the Action democratique du Quebec.
The ADQ has 39 seats and the PQ 36, while two are vacant.
If the Liberals win the election, it will be the first time since the 1950s that a government has won three mandates in a row. The last time was when the Union nationale got a third consecutive majority in 1956 after victories in 1948 and 1952.
The signs of an impending election this fall had been floating around since the federal election last month.
Charest made it clear he didn't see a productive session of the legislature ahead, insisting the ADQ and PQ were keen to obstruct his government or bring it down.
He bristled when the two parties derailed his choice for Speaker of the legislature and said they were playing political games when they managed to elect veteran PQ member Francois Gendron to the post.
The premier has emphasized his stewardship of the provincial economy and written the PQ off as a party only interested in sovereignty and ADQ Leader Mario Dumont as someone who changes positions based on opportunistic whims.
Charest has also firmed up his nationalist credentials, making more demands on the federal government. His government also recently began a campaign to promote the use of French.
One of the last pieces to be brought into place was Tuesday's release of the provincial economic statement by Finance Minister Monique Jerome-Forget.
She announced measures worth $249 million to limit the impact of the current global credit crisis.
Jerome-Forget also trotted out an additional surplus of $484 million for the current 2008-09 fiscal year, which boosts the government reserve to $2.3 billion to ensure balanced budgets this year and in 2009-10.
The measures announced include the indexing of welfare payments, while the amount used for calculating the tax credit for retirement income will rise from $1,500 to $2,000 one year earlier than mentioned in the last budget.
Charest is going to the polls at a time when the ADQ, which surprised Quebecers by taking second place and becoming the official Opposition in 2007, is struggling. It recently lost two legislature members to the Liberals, although Dumont dismissed the defections as minor.
The PQ, while higher in the polls under leader Pauline Marois, is still rebuilding from its catastrophic showing under then-leader Andre Boisclair in 2007. It was one of the worst results in the party's history although Marois insists she's ready to fight an election.
Charest has speeches scheduled before the Quebec City and Montreal chambers of commerce on Thursday where he will discuss his plans to ensure the province's economic security.
cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2008/11/05/7310686-cp.html
