Charest Survives No-Confidence Vote

Québec Liberals hold the line in the face of widespread calls for a corruption inquiry.

Jean Charest’s government won a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly yesterday 61-57. The vote was prompted by a Parti Québécois motion that called for an election over Charest’s refusal to set up an inquiry into corruption in the province’s construction industry. While the Liberals hold a majority in the Assembly, Charest had to delay an official visit to France to ensure that they survived the vote. After narrowly escaping yesterday, Charest announced he would implement permanent measures to combat corruption in a bid to relieve some of the pressure on his government. The Liberals face another crucial test on Monday with a closely contested by-election in a riding they’ve held for 25 years.