PQ leader André Boisclair toured Quebec's north shore Monday, promising to invest in the region's hydro and aluminum industries.
During a brief pit stop at the Manic-2 hydroelectric dam near Baie Comeau, Boisclair bragged about the Parti Québécois' longstanding support for water-generated power.
The Manic-2 hydroelectric dam in Baie-Comeau, Que., is the world's largest hollow-joint gravity hydroelectic facility.
(Quebec government)
He said it was former PQ premier René Levesque who first recognized hydro's potential value for Quebec, adding that it was a resource the Quebec Liberals have mismanaged.
The PQ leader said the hydro industry has suffered from what Boisclair calls shocking rate increases for electricity, but he stopped short of promising to cap or reduce rates, pledging instead to make increases more predictable if he becomes premier.
A PQ government would continue to export surplus energy to the rest of Canada and the United States, Boisclair said.
He also criticized the Quebec Liberal government for neglecting the North Shore's aluminum region when it cancelled a PQ deal to invest in a new Alcoa plant in Baie Comeau in 2003.
He claims the region lost out on billions of dollars in investments and 3,500 potential jobs.
If elected, Boisclair said he'd relaunch negotiations for an aluminum plant in the region.
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| Party | Elected | Leading | Total | Vote Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIB | 48 | 0 | 48 | 33.08% |
| ADQ | 41 | 0 | 41 | 30.80% |
| PQ | 36 | 0 | 36 | 28.32% |
| QS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.65% |
| GRN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.89% |
| OTH | 0 | 0 | 0 | .26% |
| Last Update:March 27, 12:52:21 AM EDT | ||||
Quebec Votes 2007 Headlines »
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- Quebec Premier Jean Charest said he'll build bridges with the Parti Québécois and the Action Démocratique du Québec to ensure a stable minority government.
- Dumont will work with Quebec Premier Charest
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- Boisclair remains at helm after PQ finishes 3rd
- André Boisclair is staying on as leader of the Parti Québécois and vowed to help rebuild the fractured party after it suffered major losses in Monday's provincial election.
- Quebec election result 'good news' for Canada: PM
- Stephen Harper says voters in the Quebec election have used their ballots to reject calls for another referendum in a "great result" for Canada.
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