MONTREAL (CBC) - Quebec Premier Jean Charest's right-hand man at the province's legislature said his Liberal government deserves to stay in power without elections until at least 2011.

Quebecers voted the Liberals back into power last year with the expectation the government would hold for a normal-length term, said house leader and Revenue Minister Jean-Marc Fournier.

"People have decided [to give] a mandate, a minority mandate, to this government," he said in an interview with CBC News. "And, this mandate, when they voted, was for four years, five years. That's what they had in mind at that time."

He expects the Liberals to remain on top for a full term, he said.

The Liberals's popularity is at its highest since Charest led the party to a minority victory in the March 2007 elections. The Action Démocratique du Québec has plunged in the polls, falling behind the Parti Québécois in overall popularity, following a series of gaffes by ADQ Leader Mario Dumont.

But while opposition parties grow more vocal with their critique of the Liberal government, the two can't agree on when would be a good time to force an election, said PQ critic Pierre Curzi.

Both the PQ and ADQ have accused the Liberals of coasting through the last two sessions with very little new legislation, and making public announcements with little real value or impact.

With files from Tim Duboyce

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