Jean Charest’s opening speech at the new session of the Quebec National Assembly has enough attention-getting initiatives to partially eclipse his recent troubles – including the strike of government lawyers, and allegations of corruption, in spite of the Liberal government’s having been essentially cleared by the Bastarache inquiry into judicial appointments.
Controversy helps make news. Mr. Charest’s announcement of intensive learning of English, with half of the school day in the first six elementary grades, in addition to the mastery of French, will presumably be denounced by the Opposition, but was warmly applauded by the Liberal MNAs (though not a word of the speech was in English, except for the name of the music group Arcade Fire). The Parti Québécois has had a long history of support among teachers, but the Premier’s mandating of respectfulness in schools may well win some over; students are henceforth to address teachers with formal vouvoiement, not informal tutoiement. Moreover, every teacher is to receive a portable computer.
Many of Mr. Charest’s new promises sound expensive. Though he undertook to maintain budgetary rigour, he offered no new measures to achieve a projected return to balance in 2013-14 – on rising health-care expenditure or otherwise; he himself pointed that the health budget had risen by 60 per cent since he took power in 2003. The latest budget, last March, did raise sales tax, fuel tax and university tuition fees, as well as introducing a new “health contribution.” Even so, the projected deficit was $4.5-billion and the gross debt was an alarming $64.5-billion.
Consequently, the sustainability of Quebec’s public finances remains doubtful. Still, the Premier spoke of charging a “fair return” on energy and other natural resources, to be dedicated to debt reduction – without further details.
In spite of these unanswered questions, the Premier’s positive, almost visionary tone will help restore a somewhat tarnished record. With the PQ continuing to be the Official Opposition, a provincial Liberal revival is a welcome development for federalism.