Although he is still officially “considering” his intentions, Denis Coderre will run in the Quebec region if he takes the reins of the Liberal Party.
“If I become leader, I promise you that I will be a candidate in the Quebec region,” said the former mayor of Montreal in an interview with Sun, Monday. “We need a link between the capital and the metropolis. »
Denis Coderre is not targeting a particular constituency, but he would like to run “in the greater region” of the Capitale-Nationale.
Since 2018, Quebec voters have shunned the provincial Liberals. But Denis Coderre is not frightened. There is no question of choosing a certain riding on the island of Montreal, he insists. “It shows you that if I go there, I believe in it. »
In any case, “there is no safe county,” notes the veteran politician. “The day a deputy – or a mayor – thinks he is an owner, he eats a cursed one. »
He cites as inspiration “what Philippe Couillard did in Roberval”. In 2014, the Liberal leader was elected in Lac-Saint-Jean, after representing the urban counties of Jean-Talon, Mont-Royal and Outremont for years. “He had the guts to do. »
Mr. Coderre, who is closely linked to the metropolis, is committed to giving a special place to the regions. “Quebec thrives on the regions,” he notes. The politician highlights the “very nice welcome” he received in Drummondville on Saturday, when he embarked on a tour of the regions.
Powers to cities
Even if he is considering running for national office, the man who led Montreal from 2013 to 2017 has little distance from municipal politics.
Denis Coderre can no longer stand seeing municipal, provincial and federal elected officials throw the ball at each other in the face of problems. “It can’t always be other people’s fault. »
According to him, Quebec should give more powers to mayors. In return, these should be truly accountable, he believes.
Mr. Coderre talks about his years at Montreal town hall and the strong duo he formed with Régis Labeaume, who led Quebec. A time when cities really had the government’s ear, he believes.
In 2016, the Liberals adopted two laws strongly demanded by mayors, reaffirming the status of metropolis for Montreal and that of capital for Quebec.
“Mr. Legault should speak to Philippe Couillard. On the question of relations between Quebec and the municipalities, it was the Liberals who set the tone. »
Foundations first
Denis Coderre, who has not yet confirmed his candidacy to lead the provincial Liberals, believes that the next leader of the PLQ will first and foremost have to rebuild his activist base. And says he is ready to do it.
“I am proudly the son of a carpenter […] In the three little pigs, it was the brick house that won,” remarks Mr. Coderre, saying he is “ready to work on the foundations.”
The politician with a long track record, however, refuses to call himself a “transitional leader”. And this even if last week, he had invited his possible adversaries to wait for the reconstruction of the party before launching.
“You may be the right person, but maybe not right away,” he said on CKVL. I want to leave you the party in good conditions. Call it transition, whatever you want. »
The politician will announce his colors after having traveled the 300 km of the Camino de Santiago. And even if many observers doubt it, he swears that he could decide not to take the plunge. “Everything is on the table. »
But Denis Coderre agrees: politics is his drug. “And I take responsibility for my drugs. »
With Valérie Gaudreau, The sun