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The Parti Qubcois is attacking Liberal Leader Philippe Couillards loyalty to the province as the election campaign enters its final week, warning voters that electing their rival would mean a return to institutional bilingualism and the rise of religious fundamentalism.

He is truly a risk to our language and culture, PQ Leader Pauline Marois said Sunday. When he speaks about language it is [to] bilingualize Quebec . I believe Mr. Couillard, who changes his mind on just about everything and on what is fundamental to the Quebec nation: its identity, language, culture, history, isnt ready to govern Quebec.

After seeing renewed referendum talk push the Liberals into the lead, the PQ began to attack Mr. Couillard on his business dealings, but has now shifted the offensive to his willingness to defend Quebecs language and culture.

This time, Ms. Maroiss ammunition came from comments Mr. Couillard made during last Thursdays leaders debate, when he was asked why someone would need to speak English to work in a factory.

There are more and more jobs where it is important. You know very well. Even on factory floors, its becoming more and more important, Mr. Couillard said. Later in the debate he said: Bilingualism is not a threat. Knowledge of English is indispensable.

Then on Friday, while campaigning in Blainville, north of Montreal, Mr. Couillard explained the advantages of being bilingual: Its a great advantage for anyone to be bilingual. I know. This is something the pquistes dont want me to say, but Ill say it again: Theres not a single parent in Quebec that doesnt hope for their kids to be bilingual. Its such a fantastic asset in life. And it goes the other way, for English-speaking kids to be bilingual in French is a fantastic asset.

Mr. Couillard did not disavow these comments, but fought back on Sunday by vowing to safeguard the French language and saying he had no lessons to learn from the PQ about patriotism.

Ms. Marois was not alone in her attacks on the Liberal leader. Janette Bertrand, the 89-year old popular former TV host and defender of womens rights in the province, spoke Sunday at a PQ rally, saying that if the party is defeated in the April 7 election it will spell the end of the secular charter and the rise of religious fundamentalism. Ms. Bertrand called it a danger to Quebec society and that could lead to the erosion womens rights and jeopardize gender equality in the province.

If I am here today it is because we must vote for Ms. Marois, the Parti Qubcois because if we dont there will be no charter, Ms. Bertrand said.

Last fall, Ms. Bertrand founded a pro-charter group nicknamed Janettes along with Julie Snyder, the wife of media magnate and star PQ candidate Pierre Karl Pladeau. They recruited several other prominent figures in defending the secular charter to fight religious fundamentalism.

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Liberals Couillard a risk to our language and culture, Marois warns

Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press Published Monday, March 31, 2014 11:17AM EDT Last Updated Monday, March 31, 2014 4:43PM EDT

TORONTO -- Ontario's Liberals have confirmed that an outside tech expert police allege was given access to 24 computers in the premier's office last year had a contract with the governing party that was cancelled just two days ago.

Government house leader John Milloy says computer expert Peter Faist was also under contract to the Liberal caucus office at Queen's Park, but that contract ended when former premier Dalton McGuinty left office.

Ontario Provincial Police, who are investigating the deletion of government emails related to the cancellation of two gas plants, alleged in court documents that the computer access was given by David Livingston, McGuinty's former chief of staff.

The court documents, released last Thursday, also allege that Livingston sought access to the government computers to "wipe clean" the hard drives.

Progressive Conservative critic Lisa MacLeod says Faist was "under the employment of Kathleen Wynne" until two days after the OPP allegations were made public last week.

MacLeod calls word of Faist's contract with the Liberals a "bombshell" that she says "looks very damning" for the governing party.

She says it raises more questions about Wynne's role in the attempted coverup of the Liberals' decisions to cancel gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga prior to the 2011 election at a cost to taxpayers of up to $1.1 billion.

The Liberals accused the Conservatives of playing "dirty politics" by trying to link Wynne to the apparent tampering of the computers in the premier's office.

Milloy said he didn't know how much Faist was paid by the Liberals and didn't say what the terms of the contract were.

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Tech expert allegedly linked to deleted emails had contract with Liberals

Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press Published Monday, March 31, 2014 11:17AM EDT Last Updated Monday, March 31, 2014 4:43PM EDT

TORONTO -- Ontario's Liberals have confirmed that an outside tech expert police allege was given access to 24 computers in the premier's office last year had a contract with the governing party that was cancelled just two days ago.

Government house leader John Milloy says computer expert Peter Faist was also under contract to the Liberal caucus office at Queen's Park, but that contract ended when former premier Dalton McGuinty left office.

Ontario Provincial Police, who are investigating the deletion of government emails related to the cancellation of two gas plants, alleged in court documents that the computer access was given by David Livingston, McGuinty's former chief of staff.

The court documents, released last Thursday, also allege that Livingston sought access to the government computers to "wipe clean" the hard drives.

Progressive Conservative critic Lisa MacLeod says Faist was "under the employment of Kathleen Wynne" until two days after the OPP allegations were made public last week.

MacLeod calls word of Faist's contract with the Liberals a "bombshell" that she says "looks very damning" for the governing party.

She says it raises more questions about Wynne's role in the attempted coverup of the Liberals' decisions to cancel gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga prior to the 2011 election at a cost to taxpayers of up to $1.1 billion.

The Liberals accused the Conservatives of playing "dirty politics" by trying to link Wynne to the apparent tampering of the computers in the premier's office.

Milloy said he didn't know how much Faist was paid by the Liberals and didn't say what the terms of the contract were.

Continued here:

Tech expert who allegedly got access to gov't computers had contract with Liberals

TORONTO - An outside tech expert who police allege was given access to 24 computers in the Ontario premier's office last year had a contract with the Liberal party that was just cancelled on the weekend, Premier Kathleen Wynne confirmed Monday.

Computer expert Peter Faist also had a contract with the Liberal caucus bureau at Queen's Park, but that ended when former premier Dalton McGuinty left office, Wynne told reporters at an unrelated event in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

"He did not provide any services to the Liberal caucus services after I came into office," she said. "He did provide some services to the Liberal party (but) once we discovered that he was part of the issues surrounding the allegations ... his services were terminated as of Sunday."

Provincial police, who are investigating the deletion of government emails related to the Liberals' cancellation of two gas plants, alleged in court documents that Faist was given the computer access by David Livingston, McGuinty's former chief of staff.

The court documents, released last Thursday, also allege that Livingston sought access to the government computers to "wipe clean" the computer hard drives. The allegations contained in documents have not been proven in court.

The Progressive Conservatives said Wynne's admission added weight to their claim that she was in charge early last February when the hard drives were apparently wiped clean, even though she wasn't officially sworn in as premier until Feb. 11.

"It is very clear that the mastermind behind wiping all those hard drives was, up until these revelations became very public, ... (was) somebody who was under the employment of Kathleen Wynne," said PC critic Lisa MacLeod. "Never in a million years did we expect that he was still on the payroll."

MacLeod said Faist's contracts raise more questions about Wynne's role in the attempted coverup of the Liberals' decisions to cancel gas plants in Oakville and Mississauga prior to the 2011 election at a cost to taxpayers of up to $1.1 billion.

The Liberals accused the Conservatives of playing "dirty politics" by trying to link Wynne to the latest police allegations.

The government said Faist's IT company billed the Liberal caucus $159,727.28 between June 2010 and January 2013, and also billed the Liberal Party of Ontario about $60,000 for IT maintenance between March 2011 and last Sunday.

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PCs, NDP fume as Wynne ducks question period

QUEBEC CITY Quebec Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard repeatedly accused the Parti Qubcois on Monday of fabricating a crisis to fuel support for a sovereignty referendum.

Couillard went after his election rivals for what he called a Machiavellian ploy to use the controversial Quebec values charter to spur a fight with Ottawa to better sell separation to the provinces voters, as described in an article about PQ strategy in La Presse newspaper, citing high level party operatives.

This is totally unacceptable. I have never seen something as despicable as this, politically, said Couillard, alleging the PQ is using the charter as an instrument of division to obtain support for a vote on separation.

Its one of the most cynical things I have ever seen done in Quebec politics . . . Quebecers of all origins will be scandalized.

Shortly afterward, PQ Leader Pauline Marois made the surprise announcement that she is prepared to used the rarely-invoked notwithstanding clause of the constitution to protect the charter from a Supreme Court challenge.

The notwithstanding clause is a section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that allows governments to overrule court decisions that strike down laws deemed unconstitutional.

Taking questions during a campaign stop at the University of Laval, Couillard said Marois announcement reinforces his earlier comments about the La Presse article.

Couillard added that theres no comparison, in his view, between Marois proposed use of the clause, and when it was invoked by former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa in 1988 to save the provinces French language protection law, Bill 101.

The question to ask is: is it proportional? Does this tool that suspends people's liberty correspond with an issue that is urgent and real? Couillard said, repeating earlier comments that the PQ is trying to create an identity crisis to fuel support for its sovereignty agenda.

In the case of (the charter), there's no crisis, there's no real issue, so evidently there's no proportionality. The only goal is to start an argument with the (federal government.)

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Liberals accuse PQ of despicable ploy to spark Quebec referendum