MONTREAL - Quebec Premier Jean Charest is asking Quebec voters to take a close look at what the promises of his rivals would cost them.
Charest says the Parti Quebecois underestimated by $1.8 billion the cost of the platform it released on the weekend.
"I invite the citizens of Quebec to make a comparison with the rough draft presented by the Parti Quebecois," Charest told supporters during a campaign stop at a school in Boucherville, Que., south of Montreal.
"The Parti Quebecois will not be elected on the basis of this mandate," he said.
He said the PQ platform, released Saturday, the fourth day of the campaign, fails to address the fiscal imbalance between the provinces and Ottawa and fails to add up money promised for doctors and social assistance.
Charest also continued his attack on the separatist party for omitting the word "referendum" from the platform in favour of the term "public consultation."
Boisclair, campaigning in Bourget, east of Montreal, defended his plans for the province and accused his Liberal opponent of campaigning on words instead of on the issues.
He said a PQ government would come to the aid of the struggling manufacturing industry.
Boisclair said the Liberal plans to help the industry, capital tax cuts to stimulate investment, will be more helpful to the banks.
For his part, Charest also had criticism for the Action democratique du Quebec.
The Liberal leader called on ADQ Leader Mario Dumont to put some numbers to his campaign promises, saying he had offered nothing but "clips and cliches" so far in the campaign.
"We're five days into the campaign. The campaign is going to go by very rapidly. People need to know: Where will the money come from?" Charest said.
