Liberal Leader Jean Charest insisted Monday that a PQ election win could eventually affect Quebec's transfer payments from Ottawa.
Charest drew fire from PQ leader André Boisclair on the weekend for suggesting a PQ victory at the polls would could jeopardize billions of dollars in transfer payments from the federal government.
On Monday, Charest backtracked slightly to say the transfers will happen no matter which party wins on March 26.
"On the day after the election, things continue as they are," the Liberal leader said during a visit at a hospital centre in Laval.
But Charest maintained his stance that an eventual referendum on sovereignty could drain Quebec's coffers.
"When [Boisclair] writes into his platform that he's going to guarantee the transfers without adding anything else, as though it will go on indefinitely, I think he is misleading people."
If the PQ won a sovereignty referendum, Ottawa would end equalization payments, Charest said.
Boisclair lashed back at Charest, calling his accusations federalist blackmail. The PQ leader maintains the federal government will live up to promises it made to Quebec, regardless of which party forms the next provincial government.
"There's the judgment of the Supreme Court of Canada that puts on the table the obligation of the federal government to negotiate in good faith, and I count on all democrats to respect the will of the people," said the PQ leader on Sunday at a nomination meeting in Montreal.
The sparring between Boisclair and Charest comes as Monday polls suggest the PQ is losing popular support to the Liberals and the ADQ.
Liberals talk health
Charest toured the Cité de la Santé hospital centres in Laval Monday, where he reiterated the Liberals' plan to improve health services in the province.
Quebec is on track to introduce six-month wait-time guarantees for knee, hip and cataract surgeries, and will extend the time caps to all surgeries, Charest said.
The Liberal government will also hire 1,500 new doctors and 2,000 nurses, he said.
"More doctors, more nurses — more services more rapidly," Charest said.
Health Minister Philippe Couillard said the new hires will be possible because enrolment in Quebec medical schools is up and more doctors are expected to graduate in coming years.
"We've taken the right decisions," he said at the Laval health centre.
The province may be able to hire more doctors, but whether they can be convinced to stay in Quebec is another matter, said Dr. Denis Gravel, a surgeon at the Laval health centre.
Quebec doctors are still underpaid compared to their colleagues in other provinces, and that makes working in la belle province a tougher sell, he said.
With files from the Canadian PressRelated
| 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 »
- Que. Liberals take minority win with grain of salt
- 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
- Quebec's new Opposition Leader Mario Dumont said he wants stability at the national assembly and pledged to work with the Liberal minority government on a case-by-case basis.
- 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.
- Charest keeps seat as Liberals cling to power in Quebec
- Quebecers are waking up to a minority Liberal government — the first minority in the province in 130 years — and a new official Opposition.