Quebec's newly minted Opposition Leader Mario Dumont said he wants to create stability at the national assembly and pledged to work with the Liberal minority government on a case-by-case basis.
"We will work to make sure the government remains stable, and we'll focus on the first order of work in the upcoming months. The premier will have my support when there are good projects," Dumont told reporters in Quebec City Tuesday afternoon.
ADQ Leader Mario Dumont waves after his speech Monday at his election night headquarters in Rivière-du-Loup.
(Clement Allard/Canadian Press)
Looking tired but elated, Dumont answered questions about the Action démocratique du Québec's political ambitions after its historic showing at the polls Monday night.
The ADQ surpassed most expectations by winning 41 seats as it cleaned up in key regions, including Quebec City and the greater Montreal area, sweeping aside Parti Québécois MNAs, Liberal incumbents and cabinet ministers.
Dumont wouldn't say whether he wants to take Premier Jean Charest to task on constitutional issues, or whether he wants to defeat the Liberals' latest tax cut promises, but indicated he's ready to go the distance on fiscal issues.
Quebec deserves a balanced budget and the Liberals "need to review the province's financial situation," Dumont said.
The ADQ leader said he was very happy with Monday night's results and believes the ADQ has made "great strides" for the future.
"We had a giant step last evening but all this is preparing [us] for the next time," Dumont said. While the ADQ made huge gains in the greater Quebec City region, taking 8 of 12 seats, and in the greater Montreal belt region, where it won 12 new seats, the party failed to dominate in any Montreal island riding.
Dumont said he isn't too concerned.
"We're near the bridges and the tunnels, so we're really at the doors of Montreal," he said, adding the ADQ finished second in several Montreal ridings.
The leader isn't worried about his army of inexperienced MNAs, most of whom have never worked in politics and are not known outside their ridings. They'll rise to the challenge of provincial politics with "rigour, method and discipline, and with support, and they'll do a good job," he said.
His new team of MNAs may "not have experience in parliament, but have experience in life," Dumont said.
Related
| 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.