The opposition has described the payment, announced during this week’s budget, as “partisan,” “electoral” and “a gift.”
Author of the article:
Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard found himself bombarded Friday with questions from the opposition benches as he sought to justify the hallmark feature of Tuesday’s provincial budget: a $500 payment to 6.4 million Quebec taxpayers to offset the rise in inflation.
Girard spent two hours parrying questions from the opposition just three days after the measure was announced as part of the government’s final budget before the general election in October.
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The government’s plan to send $500 to taxpayers whose income last year was less than $100,000 has been dismissed by the opposition parties as “partisan,” “electoral” and a “gift” delivered to voters just months before the election.
Since Tuesday, Girard has repeatedly denied any link between the election and the payment. He reiterated the move is meant to allow Quebecers to deal with an inflation rate that, after hovering at three per cent for 30 years, suddenly shot up to 4.7 per cent.
He explained that such a sudden and substantial increase in the cost of living caused the government to act quickly, including the $500 payment to allow people to maintain their buying power in the short term.
Girard said the money was included in the budget because “now is when Quebecers are being impacted” by the increase in inflation.
But the opposition was unimpressed with Girard’s explanations. Liberal MNA and former finance minister Carlos Leitão told reporters that Tuesday’s budget was a short-sighted exercise featuring a one-time payment, whereas what is required is recurring financial assistance for Quebecers who really need it.
Québec solidaire said the Legault government should have doubled the solidarity tax credit for two months to better battle inflation and protect the wallets of low-income Quebecers.
QS MNA Ruba Ghazal also criticized the finance minister for not using the budget to increase measures that would reduce social inequalities, whether in the form of a freeze on rent increases and electricity rates or an assistance program for first-time homebuyers.
Leitão said the real estate boom is making “the dream of being able to access property more and more distant … for a new generation.”
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