Marois disappointed by lack of CAQ-Liberal merger

pauline marois, quebec corruption, corruption allegations

MONTREAL — Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois said on Monday that it was regrettable that the upstart Coalition Avenir Quebec has rejected an alliance with the ruling Liberal Party because "they look so much alike."

A tad sarcastic in tone, the pequiste leader said she was neither satisfied nor worried with CAQ leader Francois Legault's announcement that he would hold regular meetings with the Liberals if he leads his party to a minority victory after the next election.

With the National Assembly having stood down for the summer, Marois' launched into the first of what is expected to be many exchanges of rhetorical snipping between the party leaders.

Marois did say that she was disappointed that Legault renounced any intention to form a coalition with the Liberals if no party receives a majority of the seats after the next general election.

To illustrate what she calls the close relationship between both parties, Marois pointed at the CAQ's support for Premier Jean Charest's emergency laws in Bill 78, support for planned tuition hikes, a similar approach to the exploitation of natural resources and a rejection of sovereignty.

"The PQ has distinguished itself from Mr. Charest's party where corruption is the order of the day," said Marois, who plans to exploit the similarities between Quebec's two other mainstream parties during the next election.

Legault recently announced that he would be willing to negotiate the CAQ's support on individual bills if a minority government is formed, but he has ruled out a coalition.

While Premier Charest has until December 2013 to call an election, all parties are gearing up for a campaign this fall.

--with files from The Canadian Press.