MNI BRIEF: Canada Says PQ Plan To Quit BOC Is Unserious

Canadian Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Thursday the plan of Quebec's separatist party to abandon Canada's dollar in favor of a provincial currency if they win next year's election isn't a serious economic proposal and instead would be damaging. 

"Let’s be serious. We are facing some of the most challenging times in the nation’s history," he said in response to a question from MNI after meeting his provincial counterparts. The Bank of Canada “has served Quebeckers well" and is "one of the most trusted institutions in the country which has provided stability to our economy,” he said.

Quebec's Finance Minister Eric Girard also said in response that separatism is “a legitimate political project, an economic project less convincing.” Girard used to work at the BOC and said that while there are periods when interest rates are higher or lower than Quebec's specific needs the overall economic federation works very well.