The potential candidacy of entrepreneur Nicolas Tétrault for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) seemed to cause unease among interim leader Marc Tanguay, who was keen to point out that it could be ruled out.
Asked by a journalist whether Mr. Tétrault was welcome in the PLQ considering that content on his Facebook page flirted with conspiratorial ideas, Mr. Tanguay indicated that he would not comment on the candidacies individually, but also made a point of a clarification that he had not made when Denis Coderre confirmed his interest in the race.
“I would like to reiterate that the electoral committee, as has been done in the past, will submit to us and will make public the rules of the leadership race. And it is to be expected very clearly that in its rules the electoral committee will be able, if necessary, to analyze a candidacy and decree that the person, for serious reasons, cannot be a candidate,” explained the interim leader at a press briefing. Tuesday at the National Assembly.
On his Facebook page, Nicolas Tétrault shared a video about CO2 with the subtitle: “Global warming and climate change do not exist!” It’s propaganda! “. He published another from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a notorious anti-vaccine.
“I don’t think I’m a conspiracy theorist. I think I’m someone who tries to put as many ideas on the table as possible,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
He also claims to have a personal interest in conspiracy theories. “It’s one of my passions. I like studying, analyzing, seeing conspiracy theories,” adds Mr. Tétrault.
No PCQ-PLQ reconciliations
On Monday, Nicolas Tétrault indicated that he had contacted Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime to discuss a potential alliance between the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) and the PLQ.
Éric Duhaime said he had no intention of allying with the Liberals. According to Mr. Duhaime, the federalist political group has become too “radicalized” to the left.
“The PLQ is more and more a kind of united federalist Quebec, and that, I don’t see how we could work together,” said the Conservative leader at a press briefing on Tuesday.
Éric Duhaime recognizes that historically – particularly during the era of Jean Charest – the PLQ could be perceived more as a center-right party.
“That being said, I do not sense, in any way at the moment, a desire for the PLQ to once again become a party which defends individual freedoms, civil rights and which wants to reduce the size of the State, on the contrary,” he explained.