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Round 4: Layton appeals to Quebecers, Duceppe says NDP won’t be in government

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31 434x300 Round 4: Layton appeals to Quebecers, Duceppe says NDP wont be in government

 

NDP Leader Jack Layton made a direct appeal for Quebec sovereignists to switch from the Bloc Quebecois to his party as leaders debated social policies in round four of the French debate.

Answering a question from a middle class Quebec City man who said the population was getting poorer, Layton listed a series of promises including putting a cap on credit card interest rates and securing pensions.

“The NDP can do it because we have the possibility of forming a government,” Layton said.

His argument was immediately dismissed by Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe.

“I know I won’t be prime minister and you won’t be either,” said Duceppe. Only one party can stop (Conservative leader Stephen) Harper… and we’ve demonstrated it…Canada should thank us.”

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff jumped in noting his promises to offer support for families to pay post-secondary education tuition as well as support for home energy retrofits and aide for families caring for the elderly.

“I can assure you, I can deliver all this without raising taxes,” said Ignatieff. “I understand the pressures on middle class families and that’s why we made different choices.”

Harper, who was relatively quiet in the fourth round noted that his government offered several measures to help middle class Canadians in its budget such as tax credits for supporting cultural and artistic or athletic activities.

He also said that the government was proposing to increase support for guaranteed income supplement payments, which drew criticism from Duceppe who said it was not enough.

“What the Harper government is offering doesn’t even bring them above the poverty line,” said Duceppe. “It’s shameful.”

While Ignatieff also described his party as a firm defender of universal public healthcare, Harper noted that his government had increased transfer payments to the Quebec government for health and social programs by 44 per cent.

“This is our record,” said Harper. “The record of the liberal government was the opposite.”

mdesouza@postmedia.com

twitter.com/mikedesouza


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