Laval MNAs sum up winter/spring session of National Assembly

Laval’s five Liberal MNAs say they are highly pleased by a report, delivered by Premier Jean Charest on June 10, which outlines the work done by the National Assembly during its most recent session.
“I am proud of the work done by our government,” said Fabre Liberal MNA Michelle Courchesne, who is also Treasury Board President and the Minister Responsible for the Laval Region. “Our ears are open to the citizens and we remain active in the community.

Health services
“For example, over the last few days I officially helped launch work on an integrated centre for first-line medical services in the western part of the island,” she added. “We’re talking about a nearby point of service for health problems, which is unique in Quebec, which will make it possible to support first-line medical services and offer better health services to the people of western Laval.”
Laval-des-Rapides MNA Alain Paquet said: “For families in the region of Laval, a significant drop in the unemployment rate of 6.6 per cent is great news. While Ontario, which has 7.9 per cent, and the United States, which has 9.1 per cent, are still struggling with the effects of the economic crisis, we have to say quite objectively that our government made the right decisions. For the past 30 years, never have more Quebecers been employed.”

Government’s priorities
Last Feb. 23, the Premier gave a National Assembly inaugural address which established the government’s priorities for the next few years as well as its long-term vision for the future. That vision revolves around five priorities: education, employment, sustainable development, mastering our resources, and health. It presents priorities for action, such as academic success, the fight against cancer and measures to deal with labor shortages. The inaugural address was followed up with a tight and responsible budget concerned with the control of expenses and a return to balanced budgets by 2013-2014.

Major projects
The National Assembly’s last session also gave the government the opportunity to table its Northern Plan, a project for a whole new generation. It envisions investments of $80 billion being made over a period of 25 years in a perspective of sustainable development and in partnership with First Nations and Inuit communities. The ambitious project would create 20,000 jobs per year.
“Since the launch of the Northern Plan, we have been able to announce stimulating projects for Quebec,” said Charest. “Whether it was the creation of the Assinica national park, which will be one of the largest in Quebec, investments by ArcelorMittal and Rio Tinto Fer et Titane which will also create thousands of jobs, or investments in Route 138 or infrastructure for Air Inuit which will make better service to the north possible, the Northern Plan is already underway and Quebecers are starting to see the results.”

Big on electrification
The premier talked about the government’s earlier action plan on electric vehicles, which aims to change people’s transportation habits and to make Quebec an avant-garde society through the use of hydro-electricity. The plan encourages Quebecers to turn towards electric vehicles, it speeds up the deployment of these vehicles through the deployment of infrastructure for charging them up, it supports transit authorities so they’ll opt for electricity as a source of energy, and it supports the manufacturing of products and components for electric vehicles in Quebec.
“We had announced road investments of $65 million for the region of Laval as part of a vast road refurbishment plan undertaken by our government in order to improve the road network and the security of users, all the while supporting the economic recovery,” said Chomedey MNA Guy Ouellette.

Double-tracking project
“We also announced the start of work on doubling the tracks on the Blainville–Saint-Jérôme line, between the Saint-Martin junction and Sainte-Rose station in Laval,” said Vimont MNA Vincent Auclair. “The proposed rail infrastructures will make the train network more flexible, while also increasing the capacity for more commuter trains, which in consequence will allow more trains to move along the line.”
Mille Îles MNA Francine Charbonneau noted that the Liberal MNAs had the opportunity along with Premier Charest recently to inaugurate the new Autoroute 25 extension, which was built in a public-private-partnership (PPP). Long awaited, the new A-25 extension establishes a physical link from Laval to north-eastern Montreal for the first time.

Governement involved locally
The MNAs noted that regardless of the situation, the Liberal government lives up to its commitments. They said the government was very active in dealing with the recent flooding in the Montérégie region and brought aid to those affected. “As MNAs for the region of Laval, we will continue taking concrete actions to develop the local economy in order to improve the quality of life for the people here,” said Courchesne.