COALITION AVENIR HANGING ON TO LEAD AT MIDWAY MARK

Polls suggest the Coalition Avenir Quebec is still leading the Liberal party but that a large number of voters are still up for grabs as Quebec’s 39-day election campaign reaches the halfway point. On Tuesday, Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard promised free public transit for all seniors and full-time students, at a cost of $200 million. The Coalition, meanwhile, was talking about granting

wider access to fertility treatments, which were cut under the Liberals. The Parti Quebecois announced it would impose measures to limit the salaries of Crown corporation executives to $250,000 per year, except for the head of the Caisse de depot pension fund. Party leaders go head-to-head on Thursday in the first of three TV debates. Quebecers vote on Oct. 1.