Former Quebec Premier Jean Charest met with his supporters in Laval on Thursday as part of his campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Posted at 8:39 p.m.
Updated at 9:20 p.m.
“My name is Jean Charest and I will be the leader of the Conservative Party on September 10,” said the candidate, in front of his activists present at the Château Royal. Supporters chanted “Charest! Charest! Charest! », welcoming him to the crowded room.
Mr. Charest is returning to federal politics, where he worked from 1984 to 1998. The politician was then Premier of Quebec from 2003 to 2012, under the banner of the Liberal Party.
During the evening, political commentator Tasha Kheiriddin described Jean Charest as “a visionary and a unifier”. The party is at a “crossroads”, she said. “We can choose withdrawal, closed-mindedness and the road to division, where you can choose the future, she argued. A future that includes youth, women, the LGBTQ community and new Canadians. »
Mme Kheiriddin has given up running for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada, to line up behind Mr. Charest.
PHOTO CATHERINE LEFEBVRE, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Jean Charest shook hands during the event.
At least eight candidates have officially entered the race to succeed Erin O’Toole. Last month, the former leader was shown the way out by a majority of Conservative caucus MPs. Other candidates include Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown and Ottawa MP Pierre Poilievre. The latter accused Jean Charest of being a “liberal” during his campaign.
On Thursday, interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen said leadership candidates should avoid calling opponents who don’t share their views “faux conservatives”.
With Joel-Denis Bellavance, The Press and The Canadian Press