The Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), for those who did not yet know it, is in crisis.
And that was true long before the expulsion of Marie Montpetit and the demotion of Gaétan Barrette. The incident is less the cause than the revealer. It throws a harsh light on a party with a confused identity and fragile leadership, where knives fly at very low altitude.
About Mme Montpetit, you have to be careful. At least one formal complaint of psychological harassment has been filed. However, it is not known whether it will be considered admissible. Other allegations are circulating – my colleague Tommy Chouinard has taken the testimonies of four people claiming to be victims.
Without ruling on the complaint or knowing the precise nature of the allegations, we can at least say this: the case will worsen the unease that already exists at the PLQ.
The visible side of the controversy began on Wednesday when Barrette posted a series of tweets about general practitioners. Mme Montpetit, a health critic, rebuffed him without asking the chef’s permission.
The tension was high. That same evening, Mme Anglade organized a special caucus. Then on Saturday, she announced that the two deputies were losing their responsibilities – respectively spokespersons for health and the Treasury Board.
The official reason: the hook on Twitter. However, from Thursday, Mme Anglade had received a complaint about his deputy. That day, she invited about twenty employees to her office to ask them to denounce any reprehensible acts.
The boss knew that journalists were working on the case. But she did not say a word about it when making her decision on Saturday. She was waiting to see what the media would publish. On Monday, she called a new caucus, then Mme Montpetit was expelled.
Mme Anglade has been less transparent and proactive than she had promised.
When the Caquist Marie-Ève Proulx lost her ministerial post last May because of allegations of harassment, Mr.me Anglade was categorical: among the liberals, it is zero tolerance.
It is not yesterday that liberals criticize the behavior of Mr.me Montpetit. Under the previous government, the affair was mounted in the Prime Minister’s office.
It did not improve in the opposition. She was sometimes not available when we needed her. As a result, he was briefly sidelined in the National Assembly last spring. She also changed researchers four times – there was no harmony, it seems.
Of course, this does not constitute proof of psychological harassment. But at the very least, some Liberals were wondering: why reward her with the most visible post during a pandemic?
As for Mr. Barrette, the exchange on Twitter looks like a pretext to get rid of him.
Negotiations with physicians are the responsibility of the Conseil du trésor. He was therefore commenting on his case. And by defending his Law 20, he was not contradicting his colleague. Its party not having disavowed this reform, it remains by default the liberal position.
But it is known, Mme Anglade wants to change the face of the party. This requires the departure of veterans associated with the Charest and Couillard eras. And above all, that goes through the departure of Mr. Barrette.
No less than 65% of Quebecers have a bad opinion of him, according to a Léger poll published last May. Another survey internal to the PLQ shows that changing the health position would be the best way to attract new voters.
He got the message, and he is no longer certain that he will complete his term as a Liberal.
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How does the PLQ want to change? At the office of Mme Anglade, we’re still looking.
The PLQ is a party of power. To win, for a long time he contented himself with repeating the words “economy” (for) and “referendum” (against). Against the Coalition Avenir Québec, that no longer works.
In the past, power has attracted liberals with different views. This cement no longer holds. New dividing lines are emerging between moderate nationalists and multiculturalists, or between progressives and those who dream of quiet stewardship. In addition, there are the inevitable personal conflicts. As well as the monumental delay in voting intentions, which prompts them to dream of a new leadership race, with their faces on the posters …
The cabinet of Mme Anglade is in at its third director of communications and its second chief of staff. A few important advisers have also slammed the door in recent months.
The chef has several qualities. She is a brilliant, rigorous and charismatic woman in private. But she hesitates to arbitrate the conflicts around her, which are numerous.
The party created a COVID-19 committee which included Mr. Barrette, Mr.me Montpetit and Marwah Rizqy, education critic. It didn’t go well.
During the leadership race, Mr.me Montpetit led Dominique Anglade’s campaign. Mme Rizqy was on the opposite side.
The committee did not bring them together. On the contrary, they no longer spoke to each other.
Mme Montpetit also complained about the lack of support in the chef’s office. For example, she was prevented from doing a long COVID outing, a topic deemed boring. Those close to Mr. Barrette were not helping him either.
As for Mr. Barrette, his health advice remained sought after by the media. And even by François Legault’s chief of staff, who invited him to a private meeting. Mme Anglade learned about it in the media …
Mr. Barrette was his own boss. And Mme Rizqy can also have a lot of personal initiatives – she had favored a third link in an interview in May, before her boss had to qualify the position.
Here is a brief sample of the conflicts boiling under the liberal pot. And that was without counting what is now circulating about Mme Montpetit.
Relevant authorities will need to follow up on the allegations. But at the very least, we can already conclude this: the PLQ is looking for itself, and it gets lost.