Quebec Liberal party leader Jean Charest promised to create 250,000 new jobs over the next term if his party is re-elected in the Sept. 4 election.
In an announcement released Thursday, the premier also committed to reducing the province鈥檚 unemployment rate to 6 per cent by 2017.
Quebec鈥檚 unemployment rate currently sits at 7.8 per cent, which is comparable to the rates in Ontario and Canada and significantly lower than when Charest took office in 2003.
Charest called it a first in 30 years.
In a news release, he described the unemployment rate as 鈥渁n outstanding performance,鈥� taking into account the world-wide financial and economic crisis.
Charest鈥檚 job plan calls for 50,000 of the new jobs to be 鈥済reen jobs,鈥� which will double the number of green jobs in Quebec.
Part of the Liberals鈥� action plan includes job growth in the 鈥淧lan Nord鈥� 鈥� a strategy that will see the development of natural resources in north Quebec. Charest called Plan Nord one of the world鈥檚 largest sustainable development projects that will showcase the province鈥檚 full economic potential.
The action plan also includes growth in the Quebec鈥檚 manufacturing, forestry, tourism, cultural and bio-food sectors as well as expanding trade opportunities with emerging countries and Europe.
Quebec鈥檚 election race heated up Thursday, with the Parti Quebecois announcing that it would scrap the Liberal government鈥檚 controversial university funding plan within 100 days of taking power if it wins the election.
PQ leader Pauline Marois said that she would eliminate the tuition hike, cancel the emergency protest law Bill 78 and call a summit on university funding.
Marois made the promises while accompanied by one of the leaders of the Quebec student protest movement, Leo Bureau-Blouin, who is now running for the PQ party.
Marois said the students shouldn鈥檛 be blamed for the political unrest Quebec has seen through the last several months, rather she said it鈥檚 the fault of the Charest Liberal government.
鈥淚'm sorry, but Mr. Charest is profoundly responsible for what is going on right now," she said.
Marois accused the premier of manipulating the student issue and calling a summer election, to head to the polls before a corruption inquiry returns from its summer break on Sept. 17.
While the campaign is still very much in the early stages, a political science professor said Charest began the election run right on message.
鈥淓conomic issues are front and centre for all voters in every election,鈥� Bruce Hicks of Concordia University told 麻豆影视 Channel Thursday afternoon. 鈥淏ut we know that voters vote retrospectively on the economy. What Charest wants to do is not remind them of the recession and the problems, but get them worried about a change in government and what a PQ government will mean in terms of job loss with the threat of sovereignty.鈥�
Hicks said those opposed to the Liberal鈥檚 tuition increase are planning to take their message to the ballot box, however he doesn鈥檛 expect the student protests to continue throughout the campaign.
Hicks said the violence and property damage that has accompanied the Quebec marches could sway voters to cast their ballot for Charest, who鈥檚 been portrayed as standing up to the students.
鈥淚 think the student leaders are very aware of this,鈥� said Hicks. 鈥淚 think while they had this big demonstration on the first day, that鈥檚 to remind everyone that they鈥檙e there and they鈥檙e a factor.鈥�
Early polls show that the Liberals and the PQ are tied, each taking 30 per cent of the vote.
Hicks said the Coalition Avenir Quebec party, formed in 2011, will try to remind voters of the construction corruption scandal that鈥檚 currently the subject of a public inquiry.
鈥淏ut that party is trying to tap into the issue of corruption and that the Charest government cannot be trusted,鈥� said Hicks.
With files from The Canadian Press
