Marois faces questions on sovereignty, anti-semitic conspiracy candidate

CTV Montreal: PQ defends economic plan The Parti Quebecois was hailing its own economic abilities Friday, Rob Lurie reports.

Premier Pauline Marois is still struggling to talk about something other than sovereignty and referendums.

On Friday she was in Montreal to discuss the economy and how creating wealth could benefit all Quebecers -- but she was faced with a barrage of questions she didn't like.

At a Liberal rally Thursday Philippe Couillard said a vote for the PQ is a vote for another referendum.

Marois dismissed that idea as fear-mongering.

When asked what is so scary about her party's raison d'etre, which includes a white paper on Quebec's future, and a public consultation and possible referendum in the next PQ mandate, Marois refused to answer.

Instead she attacked the Liberal party and its leader.

"During this campaign he's always talking about referendum. It is because he has no other subject he wants to present to the Quebec population. He has a project for the economy? He has a project for the social economy? I don't know," said Marois.

As Marois was making those statements, Couillard was presenting his party's plan to revitalize Quebec by re-introducing the Plan Nord, first brought forth by former premier Jean Charest.

Controversial candidates

Meanwhile Marois also had to defend her party's candidates and their opinions.

Louise Mailloux, the PQ candidate in the riding of Gouin, has said in the past that she believes baptisms and circumcisions are equivalent to rape.

She has also said the kosher food industry is a plot that allows rabbis to finance "their religious wars."

The idea of a "kosher tax" has been repeatedly denounced as a conspiracy theory dreamed up by anti-semitic and racist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.

Marois said Mailloux is free to express whatever opinions she wishes, as long as she does not oppose the PQ platform.

Earlier this week the PQ candidate for LaFontaine was forced to resign after he posted anti-Islamic statements on his Facebook page.

Chicken vote

Marois also took a dig at Bob Rae, telling him to "mind his own business" after she was informed the former federal Liberal leader said a Quebec civil servant or trade unionist voting for the media magnate is "like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders."

Marois tried to reassure Quebec's union movement, elements of which have criticized the PQ for enlisting Peladeau's services because of his stormy relations with the labour movement over the years.

"When Mr. Peladeau decided to join my party, he accepted the program of my party," she said. "My party is respectful of unions. There is no problem with the presence of Mr. Peladeau in my party about this issue."

-With a file from The Canadian Press