(OTTAWA) The attacks flared Thursday evening between Jean Charest and the leader of the Conservative leadership race Pierre Poilievre, during a first debate in which five of the six candidates participated in front of a crowd of converts.
Posted at 7:18 p.m.
Updated at 8:53 p.m.
Mr. Poilievre quickly accused the former Premier of Quebec, placed immediately to his right, of being “the Liberal on this stage”.
“Frankly, Mr. Charest, you, talking about law and order, it’s a bit much given that your party, your Liberal Party, collected half a million dollars in illegal donations when you were leading it , he sent. The average trucker has more integrity in his little finger than you had in your whole liberal cabinet of scandals. »
Canada does not need “American-style politics” with division and polarization, launched Mr. Charest, targeting his main adversary.
Jean Charest also allowed himself a frontal attack a few minutes later on the Act respecting the secularism of the State, in Quebec, which “prevents the right of Canadians to wear religious symbols”, which he opposes.
“Pierre Poilievre said in French in Quebec, not elsewhere in Canada, that if it goes to the Supreme Court, he will not speak on behalf of Canada. So Pierre, this idea of freedom, is it true or is it a slogan? pointed out Mr. Charest.
“I said I was against Bill 21 in French, in English,” replied Mr. Poilievre.
In another virulent offensive, Mr. Poilievre asked Jean Charest how much money he took from Huawei. ” How much ? How much ? How much ? he repeated over and over as his opponent avoided answering.
At a press conference following the debate, Jean Charest, who arrived visibly irritated, maintained that it is “an old story”. He also explained why he does not reveal the list of his former clients. “It’s a law firm. You, would you reveal the name of your sources? “, he said, assuring not to fear to suffer the same fate as the ex-mayor Denis Coderre during the municipal elections in Montreal.
Conservative candidate Leslyn Lewis has seized several opportunities to go on the offensive, notably slamming Mr Poilievre for ‘shitting away from the media’ because he doesn’t want to make it clear whether he is ‘pro-life or pro-choice’ .
“He can’t just be a finance minister if he wants to be a prime minister. He will have to deal with the social conservative issues that he has avoided throughout this campaign,” she said.
This first oratorical contest also allowed supporters to see Roman Baber and Scott Aitchison on stage. More discreet, they criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and presented themselves, too, as unifying candidates.
“All we do is scream and shout at each other,” said Mr. Aitchison on stage, saying that “we will have to do better” to win elections.
“It’s important to emerge from this leadership race as a united party and it’s very important that no candidate is hurt to the point that they are not viable in a general election,” said added Mr. Barber, speaking later to the media.
Patrick Brown is the only absent candidate. His campaign team said he was too busy selling membership cards as the June 3 deadline approached. After this date, new members will not have the right to vote in the leadership race.
“He says one thing in one room and another thing in another”, did not fail to reproach Pierre Poilievre to the one who was conspicuous by his absence.
This was not an official debate. The event was organized as part of the conservative network “Canada Strong and Free” which holds its annual convention in Ottawa.
The organization works to promote conservative ideals. It was founded by Preston Manning, the former leader of the Reform Party of Canada, the forerunner of the Canadian Alliance which later merged with the Progressive Conservative Party to form the current CPC.
Next week, the six candidates are due to take part in the party’s first official debate.