The leader of the Parti Quebecois Friday forcefully restated her call for the Premier of Quebec to testify in front of the financial committee about how the Caisse de depot lost $40 billion.

When asked by a reporter what she would have done to assuage the worries of Standard and Poor's, who have placed the Caisse's AAA rating under watch, she became animated.

"There are losses everywhere," she said, referring to the global economy. "But article 49 of the Caisse allows the [finance] minister to call the Caisse and ask what is happening.

"When certain things happen, call and say, 'hey I'd like to know what's going on,'" she said in French. "It's not to give updates on your friends!"

"I'm upset because I'm profoundly shocked," she added after a pause.

She reissued her call for Premier Jean Charest to testify in front of the finance committee.

"If not, he will be confirming that he has things to hide. Why not testify if everything is fine?" she added.

She said the parliamentary committee will allow experts to explain how exactly the Caisse got to the point of losing $39.8 billion.

She was speaking to reporters after wrapping up a party caucus.

Article 49

The article reads: "The fund shall furnish the Minister of Finance with any information the minister should require on its operations and activities and those of its wholly-owned subsidiaries."