Duceppe critical of Conservative cabinet offer

Last Updated: Sunday, January 22, 2006 | 10:19 PM ET

CBC News

Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe has scoffed at Conservative Leader Stephen Harper's offer to include Quebecers in the cabinet if the Tories win Monday's election.

During media questioning in Montreal on Sunday, Duceppe said he doubts such a scenario would support the issues Quebecers care about.

The Bloc leader said his party – not the Conservatives – would provide the best "checks and balances" for Quebec. Last week, Harper said a Conservative government would work with the checks and balances of the Senate and the courts.

Gilles Duceppe in Laval, Que., on Sunday, Jan. 22

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"We're the best check and balance, to stop him from putting an end to child care in Quebec, to stop him from making Quebec pay for Kyoto, to stop him from sending children of 14-years-old to jail, to stop him from voting to go into Iraq," Duceppe said.

Bloc MPs are the best "counterweight" to both the Conservatives and Liberals, he added.

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Duceppe also repeated his warning that a Conservative government would change the equalization formula by subtracting the revenues from non-renewable natural resources. Duceppe said that would cost Quebec millions of dollars.

"That plays against Quebec," Duceppe said. "It's $650 million a year, as the minister of finance in Quebec said, so that doesn't help Quebec at all."