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18 juin 2010

FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR MARKED BY ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Montreal, June 18, 2010 ─ Ms Christine St-Pierre, the MNA for l’Acadie, minister of Culture, Communication and Status of Women, praised the government’s spring balance sheet, presented by Quebec Premier Jean Charest, on Friday, June 11, at the National Assembly.

 

“The government focused on the economy and the results are impressive. There are more jobs in Quebec under the Liberal government during a time of global financial crisis than under the last PQ government during a period of economic growth,” stated the MNA for l’Acadie.

 

Quebec’s unemployment rate (8%) is lower than that of Ontario (8.9%), Canada (8.1%) and the United States (9.7%). Quebec recuperated 119% of jobs lost during the crisis, outstripping its neighbours' results of 12 to 75%. “Thanks to our recovery plan and our strategic infrastructure investments, which totalled $9.1 billion in 2010-2011, Quebec fared much better than other jurisdictions. Currently, 3.9 million Quebecers are employed, an historically unprecedented high,” added the MNA for l’Acadie.

 

The economy

 

The government’s achievements during the spring session included tabling a courageous and responsible budget designed to tackle the debt and restore a balanced budget by 2013-2014. The plan to rebalance the budget specifically includes measures to cut advertising, travel and training costs; it also proposes a salary freeze for elected officials and the suspension of performance bonuses for senior public servants. The Quebec government will make the lion’s share (62%) of the effort to rebalance public finances.

 

“In terms of economic development, in addition to major public investments, our government managed to convince several companies to invest in Quebec despite the sluggish global economy,” declared Ms. St-Pierre.

 

Sustainable development

 

The government was very active in the area of sustainable development, adopting legislation on forest development (Bill 57) and electric power transmission (Bill 84). It also tabled an important draft bill overhauling the waste management process and imposing stricter penalties on polluters. In addition, it implemented a water royalty, made reporting greenhouse gas emissions mandatory for major industries, and launched biomethanization projects in Montreal, Quebec City and Rivière-du-Loup.

 

Social actions

 

In the social arena, the government launched the Plan d’action pour la solidarité et l’inclusion sociale, which anticipates historic investments of close to $7 billion. “Thanks to the 2004‑2009 action plan, the social assistance rate fell to its lowest level since 1976 (7.3%). We succeeded in reducing poverty, and increasing household disposable income by up to 31% in some cases,” she stated.

 

Other actions

 

Ms. St-Pierre also mentioned a series of other actions taken by the government during the spring session, including the tabling of Bill 94, which would require public servants dispensing government services and citizens receiving those services to have their face uncovered; the tabling of Bill 103, which would declare “bridging schools” illegal; and the passage of Bill 76, which tightens the rules governing contract allocation in the municipal sector.

 

The MNA for l’Acadie echoed the Premier’s criticism of the PQ’s systematic filibustering tactics, specifically, its attempts to block the passage of Bill 48 on the adoption of a code of ethics and conduct for members of the National Assembly, and Bill 93 on the rules governing the financing of political parties. “During the last session, the Opposition showed us its true colours by stalling on the adoption of a code of ethics for members of the National Assembly. Even after we had met the set conditions, the members of the Parti québécois used partisan tactics to stall the work of the National Assembly and prevent the passage of these two important pieces of legislation. We are extremely disappointed by their attitude.”

 

 

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Sources: Patrick Gilles Political Advisor Office Christine St-Pierre MNA for l’Acadie Minister of Culture, Communication and Status of Women Tel.: 514-337-4278   Research and Communications Service Liberal Parliamentary Wing Tel.: 418-643-9013