Economy dominates Day 1 in Quebec campaign

Last Updated: Thursday, November 6, 2008 | 6:40 PM ET

CBC News

The ADQ promises to privatize Quebec's lucrative hydroelectricity utility if elected, and sell shares to residents, who leader Mario Dumont said have the right to invest in their natural resources.

ADQ Leader Mario Dumont speaks to employees of a Shawinigan door manufacturer Thursday as co-owner Yvon Landry looks on. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)Dumont and his political opponents played up their financial plans in the first full day of campaigning for the Dec. 8 provincial election.

The ADQ leader announced his Hydro share plan while campaigning at La Gabelle Dam in Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, south of Shawinigan.

"When [former Quebec premier] Jean Lesage nationalized electricity in the 1960s, it was to give hydroelectricity power to Quebecers," Dumont said Thursday. "Today, we want to give back that power to Quebecers, by proposing the possibility of becoming Hydro-Québec shareholders."

If the Action Démocratique were to form the next government, Quebecers would be able to buy up as much as 7.5 per cent of Hydro-Québec shares, Dumont indicated.

"That's worth $10 billion that will go toward reimbursing the debt, and more than $190 million in dividends that will be returned to Quebecers," he said.

Economic stewardship is expected to dominate the campaign, after Liberal Leader Jean Charest triggered the election on the premise he needs a majority government to safeguard the province's coffers during the financial crisis.

Liberals promise higher minimum wage

Charest said Thursday a Liberal government would, over the next four years, increase public spending by $4 billion on highways, schools and hospitals, expenditures that will create 30,000 direct jobs.

Charest also said his government will make $2 billion available to businesses if his Liberals are re-elected.

He promised to bump up Quebec's minimum hourly wage by $1 to $9.50 by 2010.

The Liberal leader also indicated he would order Hydro-Québec to accelerate the construction of more generating stations "because we want to sell more energy" to create more jobs, and provide surplus power to sell to neighbouring states and provinces, he said.

The Liberals are promising more financing for skills training, better protection of private pension plans, and more loan guarantees for businesses that want to grow.

Charest said he is reviewing whether to release an updated account of the province's ledger books.

Both Dumont and PQ Leader Pauline Marois accused Charest of concealing a deficit from voters.

The Liberal government suspended publishing the province's financial statement this week because of the election campaign.

Charest said he has nothing to hide, and may order the statement be made public to appease opposition demands.

PQ plan will help laid off workers: Marois

Marois proposed a $600-million, six-point plan featuring emergency measures to deal with the economic slowdown.

The PQ's proposal includes improving support programs for laid-off workers, and non-refundable tax credits for middle-class families.

The sovereigntist party also wants to create an investment fund for Quebec entrepreneurs, and increase spending on education, and research and development.