On the fifth day of the Quebec election campaign, political leaders are actively making promises in hopes of securing a position to lead at the National Assembly. Here are some key commitments announced on Monday.
CAQ leader Christine Fréchette pledged in Saint-Colomban to enhance Quebecers’ healthcare access if her party wins a third term. She promised to reduce surgery wait times for patients in both public and private healthcare systems. Patients would wait a maximum of six months before being referred to another region for surgery. Fréchette also proposed that patients waiting over nine months for orthopedic or plastic surgery could have the procedure done at a private clinic funded by the government. These initiatives build on a policy framework introduced last year by former Health Minister Christian Dubé.
The Quebec Conservatives, led by Éric Duhaime, aim to revive shale gas development in Quebec to bolster the province’s energy independence. Duhaime highlighted the potential of the Utica Shale, estimating it could generate $9.4 billion and create 6,000 jobs over a decade. The party seeks to reduce reliance on the U.S. and prioritize local services. Duhaime made these announcements in Lac-Etchemin, emphasizing the need for decisions affecting small communities to be made with local context and sensitivity.
Quebec Liberal Leader Charles Milliard revealed plans to address the housing crisis by accelerating the construction of 100,000 new housing units annually, with a focus on prefabricated construction. The Liberals also intend to collaborate with municipalities to streamline residential building permits. Additionally, they propose allowing real estate investors to defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting profits in new housing. Milliard emphasized the importance of improving relations with labor unions for building the future Quebec.
Québec Solidaire unveiled its education plan, advocating for the hiring of 1,500 support staff and 500 additional education professionals to support teachers and prevent student dropouts. Co-spokesperson Ruba Ghazal criticized the CAQ’s secularism laws in schools, attributing them to a loss of staff in the education sector.
PQ leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon criticized the CAQ government’s inefficiency, citing growth in government size and bureaucracy. He proposed that a PQ-led Quebec would focus on efficiency, eliminate public resource wastage, and reduce the number of government managers. St-Pierre Plamondon pledged to appoint a secretary of government efficiency to address these issues.