Journalist and political analyst at Radio-Canada Martine Biron will be a candidate for the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) in the next provincial election in the riding of Chutes-de-la-Chaudière.
Posted at 3:54 p.m.
Updated at 7:15 p.m.
The Press was able to confirm this information first reported by Radio-Canada late Wednesday afternoon, just hours after the current MP for this riding on the south shore of Quebec, Marc Picard, had announced that he would not seek re-election.
According to our information, Martine Biron would have been approached by the party of François Legault a few months ago. After having first declined the offer of the director general of the party, Brigitte Legault, to present herself under the caquist banner, she would have been asked again in the last days.
A meeting with the Prime Minister was organized on Tuesday, after which Martine Biron would have taken 24 hours to make her decision. She reportedly announced to her employer on Wednesday that she was leaving her job. The official announcement of his candidacy will be made in the coming days.
On vacation at the moment, Martine Biron did not call back The Press Wednesday. Until very recently, she analyzed Quebec politics on a daily basis on Radio-Canada from the National Assembly.
Questions raised
Let us remember that such a sudden change of vocation, from journalism to politics, has been criticized many times in the past, particularly in the case of the former radio host Bernard Drainville who also announced that he would be a candidate for the CAQ in the next elections in the riding of Lévis.
On Wednesday, the director of communications for the Liberal Party of Quebec, Jérémy Ghio, notably underlined that the candidacy of Martine Biron “could raise a certain number of questions” as to the fact that she covered the CAQ until very recently.
The journalist had notably published an analysis post on the government’s balance sheet at the dawn of the next elections no later than June 11, recalled Jérémy Ghio.
“I really like Martine Biron, but until very recently, we were still discussing strategy ‘off’ (outside the microphone) in complete confidence. I suppose it is possibly the same for other opposition parties. Since when does she know that she will be a candidate? “, wondered for his part the director of communications of the Parti Québécois, Louis Lyonnais, on Twitter.
Marc Picard bows out
The news of Martine Biron’s candidacy follows the departure of caquiste Marc Picard, who, after first suggesting that he would be a candidate in the provincial elections on October 3, finally announced on Wednesday that he would not seek new mandate.
“Until recently, I had the firm intention of presenting myself again, but during my vacation, events made me realize the need and the importance of being present for my spouse. Obviously, it was a logical choice to put an end to my political commitment for which I have devoted a large part of my professional life”, he indicated in a press release published on Wednesday.
PHOTO ERICK LABBÉ, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
Marc Picard was first elected in 2003 under the banner of the Action Démocratique du Québec. He then sat as an independent from 2009 to 2012, when he joined the Coalition avenir Québec.
“Today, I am happy to see all the work accomplished in the field, all the files completed or progressing. It is thanks to this precious collaboration that all together we can make things move forward,” continues the man who also held the position of Vice-President of the National Assembly.
First elected in 2003 under the banner of the Action démocratique du Québec, Marc Picard sat as an independent from 2009 to 2012 before joining the Coalition avenir Québec.
“I would like to thank Marc for his political commitment over the past 19 years. He joined the CAQ at a crucial time in our existence when we were in our infancy as a political party. He is one of our pillars, and I will always be grateful to him for having believed in our project, ”reacted the Premier of Quebec, François Legault, on Wednesday.
The Press reported at the beginning of the month that the CAQ strategically intended to wait as long as possible to announce the departure of its member for Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, a riding on the south shore of Quebec, since it is a land potentially fertile for Éric Duhaime’s Conservative Party. Thus, the CAQ strategists did not want to give the Conservatives time to nominate a candidate.