PQ renews accusations of Liberal favouritism

The opposition Parti Qubecois continued to accuse the Liberal government of favouring its party donors in the awarding of subsidized daycare spaces during question period Thursday.

Since 2003, five of the seven administrators of the provinces private daycare association have donated a total of more than $40,000 to the Liberal Party, said PQ family critic Nicolas Girard. During that timeframe, Girard said the administrators received permits to create more than 500 daycare spaces.

Girard also questioned the effects of the more than $141,000 donated to the party by members of the Cola family ,who he said are shareholders in 13 subsidized daycares with more than 1,000 spaces.

"They receive an annual subsidy of $10 million from the family minister," said Girard.

Family Minister Tony Tomassi denied the allegations and reminded Girard that it is legal for taxpayers to make donations to political parties in Quebec.

"Each citizen of Quebec, each person in Quebec, each individual can contribute to whatever political party they like," said Tomassi.

The president of the provinces private daycare association also denied the PQs allegations.

"It shows how desperate they are," said Sylvain Lvesque. "Last year [Girard] met me in my office to support my plan for a daycare in Lasalle, when I was still waiting for a permit.

"It has been 15 years that I have been in the [daycare] network," said Lvesque. "[The permits] were awarded based on the quality of the projects we were promoting."

Illegal fees

Also Thursday, Tomassi announced a daycare in Terrebonne would be punished for illegally overcharging parents.

Last month, the Petit Pommier daycare expelled two children whose parents refused to pay an $8 surcharge on top of the $7 per day normally required.

The province could reduce the subsidy awarded to the daycare, Tomassi said.

During question period, the opposition pointed out that the daycare had been charging the fees for four years and that a complaint about the situation filed six months ago.

Tomassi said the situation is unacceptable and that his government will not tolerate it.

The minister encouraged parents who are asked to pay illegal charges to file a complaint with the government.