Prime Minister Stephen Harper takes question after making a campaign stop at firehall in Victoriaville, Que., on April 5, 2011.Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Stephen Harper launched his third campaign foray into Quebec Tuesday by promising a $450 tax break for volunteer firefighters and incentives for nurses and doctors to move to rural communities.
The pledges are squarely aimed at small-town Canada as Mr. Harper makes his fourth bid for a majority government in seven years.
"Canadians living in rural and remote communities should have access to quality medical services close to home, just like people living in large urban centres," the Conservative Leader said during a campaign stop in the Central Quebec region
"With a stable, national Conservative government ... the interests and values of rural Canada will be defended and will be in the forefront," Mr. Harper said.
He's blitzing Central Canadian battlegrounds this week in the final push before the leader's campaign throttles down to prepare for debates next week.
This is the Tory Leader's first return to Quebec since he angered its provincial government March 31 by pledging a massive loan guarantee for a Newfoundland and Labrador power project.
The Tories softened the blow one day later by promising $2.2-billion for Quebec to redress a grievance over compensation for switching to a harmonized sales tax.
Mr. Harper visits two Bloc Québécois-held ridings Tuesday that the Tories are trying to wrest away in the May 2 election: one in Victoriaville and one in Drummondville. These include Richmond-Arthabaska, where the Bloc won by 8,800 votes in 2008 and Drummond, which the Bloc last captured by more than 6,000 ballots.
The volunteer firefighter tax credit is aimed squarely at small-town Canada where fire services rely on donated time from local citizens.
The same goes for a Conservative promise to forgive $40,000 in Canada Student Loans for new family doctors, and $20,000 for nurses, willing to work in remote communities.
Both are examples of the Conservatives ripping pages from their defunct 2011 budget to serve as their campaign platform. This fiscal plan was shelved when opposition parties toppled the Harper government March 25, triggering an election.
The firefighters measure promised is a 15-per-cent non-refundable tax credit on an amount of $3,000.
It would be offered to volunteer firefighters who perform at least 200 hours of service for their communities per year.
As the Tories promised in the budget, this measure would take effect in the 2011 tax year. It's estimated to cost $15-million annually starting in the fiscal year 2011-12.
The loan-forgiveness program for doctors and nurses is estimated to cost $9-million annually.
Family doctors will be eligible for forgiveness of loans arranged under the Canada Student Loan program up to $8,000 for each year of practice in a rural or remote community - to a maximum of $40,000. Nurse practitioners and nurses will be eligible for federal Canada Student Loan forgiveness of up to $4,000 per year - to a maximum of $20,000.
As Quebec does not participate in the Canada Student Loan Program the Tories will pledge to work closely with the Quebec government to implement this measure in a manner that respects its jurisdiction.
Following his visits to Central Quebec, Mr. Harper heads to a Conservative-held riding, Lotbinière-Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, which is southwest of Quebec City along the St. Lawrence River. Here he'll attend a huge rally with the region's Tory candidates before flying to Toronto to overnight in Richmond Hill.
Steven Chase