Leaders promise transit funding, new forestry policy

Last Updated: Thursday, November 13, 2008 | 5:07 PM ET

CBC News

Quebec Premier Jean Charest walks past locked out casino workers while campaigning in Montreal on Thursday. (Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)Liberal Leader Jean Charest says he'll boost public transit services in the Montreal area if his government is re-elected on Dec. 8.

The Liberals will inject nearly $200 million into commuter train service in Montreal, and are prepared to build more stations, he said.

The goal is to increase the number of commuter train departures by 35 per cent, making room for more than 250,000 passenger rides every month.

"These are policies that have been revised because of the increase in the price of the barrel of oil in particular, on availability, and because of the flare-up in the price, in that particular environment," Charest said Thursday while campaigning in Montreal.

"We're all going back to the [drawing board] to look at our policies on transport, on energy, everything."

It's essential to get more people in and out of the city on public transit as fuel prices creep up, the Liberal leader said.

ADQ Leader Mario Dumont, left, listens as Suzanne Simard explains her situation with her son Jonathan, who is homebound after being in a car accident. Dumont was campaigning in Alma, Que. (Clément Allard/Canadian Press)Action Démocratique du Québec Leader Mario Dumont promised an ADQ government would spend more money on home caregivers.

The ADQ leader also reiterated his party's commitment to reforming Quebec's school system, starting with school boards.

The idea isn't new for the ADQ, which tabled a confidence motion last year demanding school boards be abolished.

That move was heavily criticized by the Liberals and PQ, but Dumont said his intention was misunderstood. Quebec could save up to $125 million annually if it abolished school boards, he said.

Private schools are a perfect example of institutions with streamlined administrations, Dumont added. Private institutions run with smaller administrations while public schools receive more government funding, and operate larger administrative structures that may not benefit students, he said.

"Is all that money really spent in schools? Is too much of that money wasted in bureaucracy? Those are all important questions that you know we raise," Dumont asked.

PQ Leader Pauline Marois speaks to softwood lumber workers at the Tembec plant in Senneterre, Que. (Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois, touring in western Quebec, promised a PQ government would bring in a new forestry policy.

Marois said she would seriously consider recent recommendations made by industry players concerned about the high cost of lumber and its effect on vulnerable pulp mills.

Quebec's forestry industry has been hard hit by high lumber prices and reduced supplies, due in part to new measures brought in by the Liberal government during its minority mandate, the PQ leader said.

Québec Solidaire has also called on Charest and Marois to support the left-wing sovereigntist party's participation in the leaders' debate scheduled for Nov. 25.