Quebec’s election campaign enters its 12th day, with leaders making announcements across the province on financial support for students and workers. The election is scheduled for Oct. 5. Key details: Follow along for the latest updates: Expansion of the Cité-de-la-Santé in Laval: Liberals During a visit to Laval on Monday, Liberal leader Charles Milliard promised to prioritize the expansion and modernization of the Cité-de-la-Santé. “The Cité-de-la-Santé is Laval’s only hospital and currently serves more than 460,000 people. However, while Laval’s population has grown significantly over the past few decades, the hospital’s capacity has not kept pace,” states the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) in its press release. The statement notes that this expansion “will provide greater capacity to admit and treat patients, reduce pressure on the emergency room, and improve the conditions under which care is provided.” Last week, the Liberal leader announced plans to establish a telehealth platform for all Quebecers. Laval’s six ridings have historically been very red. However, four of them—Fabre, Laval-des-Rapides, Sainte-Rose, and Vimont—were won by the Coalition Avenir Québec in the last election. The Liberals are therefore hoping to retake Laval on October 5. Milliard has changed his plans for the day. He will record a message to Quebecers to be broadcast around 4 p.m. regarding the trade war and the Canadian retaliatory measures set to take effect at midnight on Tuesday. The Canadian Press Conservatives propose rules on unions The Quebec Conservative Party (PCQ) presented various measures on Monday morning to ensure that unions are more accountable to the workers they represent. PCQ Leader Éric Duhaime proposed four measures to ensure that unions are “at the service of workers” and “not the other way around.” The PCQ suggests an “individual right to opt out” of dues used for “political or ideological” activities. Duhaime also wants to mandate a “secret ballot” for union certification and introduce periodic votes on maintaining that certification. The Conservative Party of Quebec also plans to make union financial statements and expenditures public, “while respecting members’ anonymity,” and to set up a confidential complaint mechanism. “Being pro-worker means allowing everyone to choose what they fund, to vote freely, to know where their money is going, and to have their rights respected,” said Duhaime, who argues that the measures presented give “workers more freedom.” The Canadian Press Québec Solidaire proposes $20 minimum wage Québec Solidaire would raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour as early as May 2027 and implement a plan to support employers during this transition. The minimum wage in Quebec is currently $16.60 per hour. QS is committed to making a $330 million support package available to employers starting in Year 1 of a first term. “Work should allow us to live, not just survive. One of the best ways to reduce poverty and inequality is to raise the minimum wage,” said Ruba Ghazal, spokesperson for Québec Solidaire, in a press release issued Monday morning. The Canadian Press Fréchette to suspend campaign amid trade tensions At a press conference in Mirabel on Monday morning, Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) leader Christine Fréchette suggested that she expects another escalation in the trade war between Canada and the U.S., which continues to loom over the Quebec election campaign. The CAQ government has indicated that some of the measures taken by Ottawa in retaliation could have a negative impact on Quebec businesses. Fréchette said Ottawa would adjust its response to Quebec’s satisfaction, but she did not provide further details, leaving it to the federal government to outline its retaliation on its own. The CAQ announced Sunday that its leader would temporarily suspend her campaign on Monday evening to step into the role of premier and hold a virtual cabinet meeting. On Monday, the CAQ committed to increasing financial support to cover expenses for children in school, for a total of $900 million over four years. A new tax credit would cover up to 75 per cent of school-based childcare costs, with a reimbursement of up to $1,309 per child. The current allowance of up to $127 for school supplies would increase to a maximum of $250 if the CAQ wins a third term. The Canadian Press
