Couillard vows to publish legal opinions on Charter of Values

CTV Montreal: Buoyant Couillard on final blitz The Liberal leader stayed on message as he continuing an ambitious end of campaign schedule, Stephane Giroux reports.

Liberal leader Philippe Couillard is pledging to publish legal opinions that the PQ government solicited concerning their Charter of Values legislation.

Minister of Justice Bertrand St-Arnaud has explained that the PQ has not published the legal opinions because the state never reveals the content of legal advice it receives, indeed he even refuses to confirm that he has such documents.

However, St-Arnaud has repeatedly said that he "trusts" the legal foundations of the draft charter.

The Liberals maintain that Bill 60 would violate rights guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A Liberal internal party committee chaired by MP Gilles Ouimet came to that conclusion, as have other legal experts the Liberals have consulted, Couillard said Friday.

“The people we consulted in the legal community tell us that when you want to remove freedoms, it has to be based on a real important issue and must be proportionate to remedy the real problem,” said Couillard.

PQ leader Pauline Marois had pledged to use of the notwithstanding clause to make Bill 60 legal, which some saw as an admission that the legislation would violate the fundamental rights.

Milk becomes an issue

Milk might not flow quite as sweetly under the PQ, according to Liberal leader Philippe Couillard, who told a group of supporters in Maskinonge Friday that a referendum on sovereignty could lead to bad news for dairy producers.

Couillard told a crowd of 100 supporters that separating from Canada would jeopardize the deal that provides guaranteed income for Quebec dairy producers.

“Quebec produces 40 percent of Canada’s milk and only consumes 24 percent. No Canada, no supply management,” said Couillard.

Breasts bared in Cremazie

Couillard’s speech in Cremazie Friday morning was interrupted by protesters from the Femen movement, a group of women demonstrators who have the custom of interrupting such events marching in barechested with slogans written on their torsos.

“Freedom of expression sometimes has unexpected consequences,” he said, smiling.

Couillard, surrounded by young people, called on voters to reject the PQ’s “exclusionary” world view and embrace his “openness to the world.”

“I think we’re at a turning point in Quebec politics, Quebec youth feels closer to those values rather than going to mistrust,” he said.

-With files from The Canadian Press