Liberals dole out pre-vote goodies
When they’ll go to the polls, but with lots of spending announcements it looks like it’ll be soon
Quebec Premier Jean Charest remains coy about the possibility of a summer election campaign, widely predicted to be launched Aug. 1. But a quick glance at the deluge of Liberal announcements of funding programs and infrastructure investments in everything from palliative-care beds to bridges in Îles de la Madeleine this week alone trumpets “Elections Are Coming.”
The vast majority of announcements were for the regions, where Liberal support is tenuous. Very few were made for the Montreal area, long a bastion of Liberal support in most ridings.
The Gazette had intended to post all of last week’s accounting of largesse since Charest returned from his European holidays, helpfully disseminated in press releases on the government’s newswire site. There were so many, however, that space in the newspaper would not allow for it.
Instead, we present the investments announced Friday July 20, which on this day alone totalled over $42 million, and a brief overview of others made during the rest of the week.
Funding announcements released by the Liberal government on Friday: Financial aid for Chauffage St. Malo
Economic Development Minister Sam Hamad announces $1 million in financial aid for the company Chauffage St. Malo for its renewable-energy projects. The company transforms biomass products into a form of dried wood that burns. Health and social services in Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister Pierre Corbeil announces health and social services organizations in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region will receive $17 million this year to maintain and renovate buildings, infrastructure and equipment. Corbeil is the minister responsible for Abitibi-Témiscamingue. His riding is Abitibi-Est. This amount is part of the $748 million in investments announced by Health Minister Yves Bolduc on July 13, the press release notes. Gold mine in Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Corbeil also announces a $3-million investment for Phase 2 of the restoration of the former Lamaque gold mine, now a historical interpretation site, situated in Vald’Or in Corbeil’s riding of Abitibi-Est. In its announcement, the government noted that it also gave $1.4 million toward Phase 1. Money for health care in James Bay
Corbeil announces $2.6 million for maintaining and upgrading buildings and equipment in the health sector in the James Bay region. Money for health care in Nunavik
Corbeil announces $8.8 mil- lion will be granted this year to maintain and upgrade buildings and equipment in the health sector in the Nunavik region. Camp site near Quebec City
Natural Resources minister Serge Simard, accompanied by federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel, announces $3.4 million in investments split between the two governments for a recreational tourist site in Vauvert sur le Lac St. Jean, north of Quebec City, in Simard’s riding. A further $500,000 was given by Quebec for the water pipe system for the camp site. Seniors residence in Orford
Orford MNA Pierre Reid announces an investment in the third phase of the Acceuil Notre-Dame senior’s residence in Magog, for a total of $3.8 million granted by the Quebec government CLSC — Pontiac
Pontiac MNA Charlotte l’Écuyer announces the Pontiac health and social services centre will receive $1.6 million. Seniors — Gaspé
Marguerite Blais, minister responsible for seniors and MNA for the Montreal riding of St. Henri, travels to the Gaspé Monday to announce a $205,000 investment for two projects favouring seniors. Technical expertise in Beauharnois-Salaberry
Huntingdon MNA Stéphane Billette announces the regional county municipality Beauharnois-Salaberry will receive $200,000 to go toward technical expertise to help it “evaluate the services it needs for certain infrastructure projects.” Opportunities in Îles de la Madeleine
Premier Jean Charest travelled to the Îles de la Madeleine Friday to discuss economic opportunities and potential gains of the government’s Plan Nord project. He also took the time to visit the Havre-aux-Maisons bridge construction project, valued at $50 million and overseen by Quebec’s Transport Ministry, the press release notes. Palliative-care beds in Sherbrooke
International Relations Minister Monique GagnonTremblay announces palliative-care hospice Maison Aube-lumière can occupy a parcel of land on the property of the Fleurimont Hos- pital free of charge. The hospice will “only be responsible for the costs of construction of the building,” the press release notes. Gagnon-Tremblay also announces two beds will be added to the 10-bed hospice, representing a cost of $120,000 a year. Museums
Culture Minister Christine St. Pierre announces $2.5 million in funding for 46 museum-type institutions in Quebec. Wind power
Charest, accompanied by Gaspé MNA Georges Mamelonet, announces the installation of an additional 700 MW of wind power energy in the Gaspé region. Quebec remains committed to windpowered electrical generation, Charest said, much of which is concentrated in the Gaspé. And a few highlights from the rest of the week
$700,000 for the Fondation de la faune du Québec, which works in wildlife conservation.
$100,000 for the city of Tourville to update its firefighting department.
Orford MNA Pierre Reid announces North Hatley has been included in the registry of most beautiful villages in Quebec.
Charest announces $14.9 million in loans for the seafood processing plant Unipêche, headquartered in the Gaspé.
$1.8 million is given to combat gang activity in Laval.
$40,000 for the Traversée internationale du Lac Mégantic annual sporting event and festival.
$2.5 million for the Groupe export agroalimentaire Québec-Canada to promote food exports.
$325,000 to the equestrian event International Bromont.
$2.9 million announced for the renovation of housing for seniors in the Outaouais region.
$50,000 for a blueberry interpretive centre in St. Léon.
$10 million for the Institut interdisciplinaire d’innovation technologique de l’Université de Sherbrooke.