Liberals are working behind the scenes to attract candidates in the leadership race in order to avoid a coronation of Denis Coderre.
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The party honchos are hard at work seducing aspirants to the liberal throne. The former mayor of Montreal has not yet confirmed that he will run for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ), but his most recent public outing has convinced many to participate in the war effort. Even former elected officials are putting their hands to work to try to recruit the rare gem, according to our information.
Certain positions of Denis Coderre on crucial issues make the ears of old liberals crinkle.
In an interview given to our Parliamentary Office last week, the former federal minister maintained that the ban on religious symbols for certain state employees, even among teachers, poses no problem to him and that he would renew the derogation clause to the Federal Charter which protects the State Secularism Act from legal proceedings. This is practically a crime of lèse-majesté for many liberals.
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Mayor Marchand
Some continue to dream that federal minister François Philippe Champagne will make the leap into provincial politics or that Sophie Brochu or the big boss of Desjardins, Guy Cormier, will be tempted by the leadership race.
But other candidacies also make the PLQ’s gray eminences salivate. Mayor Bruno Marchand is among them. Informal approaches would have been made to the number one in Quebec City. Some see it as a prime candidate from outside Montreal. But it continues to decline.
“I can confirm that the mayor’s thinking has not changed since the last time he closed the door. His only mandate is to be mayor of Quebec City,” his press secretary said.
Charles Milliard requested
Many liberals want the profile of a leader capable of facing the PQ Paul St-Pierre Plamondon and the solidarity-based Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois in the next elections.
The name of former minister Luc Fortin is circulating. Some would also welcome the CEO of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Quebec (FCCQ), Charles Milliard, embarking on the adventure. The 44-year-old entrepreneur, who campaigned among the young liberals, is happily in demand, according to our sources.
“I am grateful to people from many walks of life who solicit my interest in political adventure. At this moment, I remain very happy in my role at the FCCQ and proud of what I accomplish there,” he commented on Tuesday.
The president and CEO of the Employers’ Council, Karl Blackburn, also has followers among liberal activists. Contacted by our Parliamentary Office, the former MP for Roberval and ex-president of the PLQ assured that he appreciated his current role.
“I have no interest in going to the chiefdom. I have done a lot of things in politics and for the moment, I am really happy where I am and I am not looking elsewhere,” he argued.
The election of the new leader of the PLQ is scheduled for spring 2025.
Frédéric Beauchemin is the only Liberal MP who has shown interest in running for the leadership.