Charest forced to explain luxury car
Last Updated: Monday, December 1, 2008 | 9:49 AM ET
The Canadian Press
Jean Charest's political rivals branded the Liberal leader as arrogant on Sunday amid reports that Quebec provincial police have bought a luxury vehicle for his spouse.
Charest said police made the decision to buy a Toyota Lexus for Michèle Dionne and that he had nothing to do with it.
"The SQ [Sûreté du Québec] makes these kinds of decisions because they involve security," the premier said as he campaigned in his home riding of Sherbrooke ahead of next Monday's provincial election.
Charest said every premier's spouse has had a vehicle ever since the days of Corinne Côté-Lévesque, René Lévesque's wife. Dionne is entitled to a bodyguard who doubles as a chauffeur.
Le Journal de Montréal also reported that Charest recently ordered two other Lexus vehicles as his limousines – one for Montreal and the other for Quebec City.
'It's taking voters for granted': Dumont
A spokesman for Charest said the two hybrid vehicles are actually cheaper to rent than the cars currently used to ferry the premier to and fro.
But Action Démocratique du Québec Leader Mario Dumont was happy to take a potshot at Charest – whose party has enjoyed a healthy lead in recent polls – by accusing him of counting his chickens before they're hatched.
"There are three leaders and only one will be in charge," Dumont said. "We'll only know who after the election. It's taking voters for granted."
Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois called the vehicles a symbol of Charest's arrogance, saying they represent the Liberal leader's need to "flash his power."
Marois also used the unfolding political crisis in Ottawa to take a swipe at Charest. She compared the premier to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, saying both leaders called an election because they thought they could form a majority government.
"They'll both finish where they belong," she said as she campaigned in Valcourt. "They'll both finish in the opposition.
"Stephen Harper and Jean Charest are the same. They are both arrogant and have the same contempt for Quebec."
Dumont also accused Charest of wanting a majority so he could give contracts to political cronies and make partisan appointments.
"His logic in asking for a majority government doesn't hold water," the ADQ leader told reporters in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. "He's asking for a majority and we're forced to come to the conclusion that it's for him and for his Liberal friends. It's to reward the Liberals and not to work harder for Quebecers, because for that you don't need a majority."
Dumont went on to note that both his party and the PQ had been prepared to work with the government on the current economic difficulties even before the election was called.
Charest continued to point to the ongoing political chaos in the nation's capital as evidence that Quebecers should grant his Liberals a majority government.
"We want to be in a position of strength, whatever comes," he said.
