(Ottawa) A sign that he does not intend to bow out despite unfavorable polls for almost a year, Justin Trudeau plans to appoint François-Philippe Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Champagne to the position of co-chair of the next Liberal campaign in Quebec, has learned The Press.
The decision to entrust the co-chairmanship of the campaign in Quebec to Mr. Champagne illustrates the importance that Liberal strategists attach to the battle they will have to wage in order to preserve the party’s gains in the province.
In the Liberal ranks, Mr. Champagne is recognized as one of the best communicators in Cabinet to defend the record of the Trudeau government, counter the rise of the Conservative Party in Quebec and neutralize the attacks of the Bloc Québécois.
His remarkable energy – some have nicknamed him the Energizer Bunny because of the countless hours he devotes, notably to advancing major projects and meeting with business leaders to attract new foreign investment to the country – is considered valuable. sure to motivate the troops at a time when Justin Trudeau is preparing to run for a fourth term.
“This appointment is excellent news for us,” said a Liberal source who requested anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the Prime Minister’s decision.
“I always responded”
Met by The PressThursday, Mr. Champagne did not want to spill the beans about the important role he will play in the next electoral battle.
It is up to the Prime Minister to decide on these issues. This belongs to him as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. But it will give me pleasure to contribute, as always, to helping colleagues and positioning our team well.
François-Philippe Champagne, Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, in interview
Mr. Champagne, however, has given every indication that he is ready to take on this crucial challenge for the future of the Trudeau government.
“Every time the Prime Minister asked me to take on a challenge, I always responded,” he stressed.
As for the question of the ballot box for the next election, he already has an idea in mind.
“The big question for me will be: what kind of society do we want to live in? I believe this is what will come back to the forefront. We take many things for granted. But in a democracy, what we have today is not necessarily what we will have tomorrow. When people go to vote, they will have to ask themselves in which Canada they want to live in the coming years. This will be the fundamental question for me during the next campaign. »
Long-time liberal activist Serge Paquette will be the other co-president of the Liberal campaign in Quebec, according to our information.
Last November, Mr. Trudeau announced that the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, and the MP for Winnipeg South, Terry Duguid, would be co-chairs of the National Campaign Committee of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Minister François-Philippe Champagne is part of a list of potential successors to Justin Trudeau. The other candidates mentioned are the Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, the President of the Treasury Board, Anita Anand, and the former governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney.
Stable polls in Quebec
For almost a year, national polls have given a large lead to Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party. This lead oscillates between 15 and 20 percentage points and would result in the election of a majority Conservative government.
If support for the Liberals is falling in the Atlantic provinces and Ontario, it is more or less stable in Quebec.
Despite everything, the Bloc Québécois could end election night with a handful more seats at the expense of the Liberals due to the three-way battles created by the increase in support for the Conservative Party.
Despite the headwinds he has been facing for several months, Justin Trudeau maintains that he will lead the Liberal troops in the next election. For the moment, there is no organized movement within the Liberal Party to convince it to pass the torch.
Last month, the Trudeau government tabled a budget containing new spending to accelerate housing construction and improve access to property in the hope of winning back the support of a significant segment of the electorate, namely millennials and Generation Z. So far, the billions of dollars in new investments have not moved the polling needle.
In principle, the next federal election must take place in October 2025, approximately 18 months from now, if the agreement reached between the minority Liberal government and the New Democratic Party holds until next year. Under this agreement, signed two years ago, the Trudeau government committed to implementing certain measures dear to the NDP, such as the creation of a national dental care program and the establishment of a national drug insurance. In exchange, the NDP undertakes to ensure the political survival of the Liberals in the House of Commons during confidence votes.