At 63, John James Charest will try to take over the reins of the Conservative Party of Canada. A look back at his impressive political career.
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Jean Charest entered the Canadian Parliament on September 4, 1984 as a Conservative MP, lifted by the blue wave.
In 1988, at age 28, the lawyer became the youngest minister in the Mulroney cabinet. It is he who will suspend the medal-winning sprinter Ben Johnson for a history of doping.
However, he lost his position as Minister of State for Physical Fitness, Sports and Youth in 1990, after contacting a judge in a case involving amateur sport.
In 1995, he was one of the leading figures of the No camp during the referendum for Quebec sovereignty. He was then interim leader of the Conservative Party, which at that time had only two MPs.
Transition to the provincial
On March 2, 1998, in his stronghold of Sherbrooke, he left the federal blues to direct the destinies of the Liberal Party of Quebec after the departure of Daniel Johnson.
He entered the National Assembly the same year and undertook the reconquest of power.
On April 14, 2003, he became the 34th premier of Quebec. He will find himself at the head of a minority Liberal government in 2007, and will win a third term in 2008.
Quebecers owe him, among other things, a joint Council of Ministers, water purification, forest protection, the creation of the Council of the Federation and the Plan Nord.
His time as Premier of Quebec will not be smooth sailing, however. Many will criticize him in particular for the demergers, the appointment of judges and the Charbonneau Commission on the awarding of contracts.
He will confront the students head on before the 2012 campaign and will be under the magnifying glass of the UPAC for 10 years, which will abandon its investigation.
On September 4, 2012, his PQ opponent Pauline Marois took over the leadership of a minority government. Jean Charest leaves politics.
Nine years later, he returns to his roots to try to realize his dream: to become Prime Minister of Canada.