Jean Charest begins the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party by praising his long track record in federal and provincial politics. But this one also comes with some takedowns and some chapters of his past that he might have to explain. Take a look at these files.
Law 21 on secularism
Jean Charest says he is ready to go further than the former leaders of the Conservative Party as well as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in the file of the Quebec law on secularism. When the latter ends up before the Supreme Court – which is inevitable, in the opinion of all – if Mr. Charest has been elected Conservative leader and then Prime Minister, “his government will speak out”, argued his spokesperson. Laurence Thôt. Mr. Charest, who pleads to understand Canadian federalism better than his rivals, affirms that he would still respect Quebec’s jurisdictions.
Andrew Scheer and Erin O’Toole had assured that they would not intervene in this whole file. Justin Trudeau did not close the door there, but never went so far as to guarantee like Mr. Charest that his government would do so.
Bill 21 tugs at the Conservatives. Those in Quebec defend it, on the grounds that it falls within provincial jurisdiction, while many others in English Canada categorically reject it.
MP and aspiring leader Pierre Poilievre will announce next week that he will follow the line of his predecessors and never intervene in order to respect Quebec’s autonomy, revealed to the Homework a source on his team.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, who will jump into the race this weekend, however fiercely opposed the Quebec law. His municipality even donated $100,000 to support the legal challenge.
Jean Charest argues that he is consistent with his past positions. His government had not implemented the recommendations of the Bouchard-Taylor commission, including the banning of religious symbols for certain state officials, because he had received legal notices that they could contravene the Charters of Rights and Freedoms of Canada and Quebec.
The Quebec conservatives who support his candidacy today, however, campaigned in 2019, promising never to challenge Bill 21.
Mary Vastel
The hints of chewing
The cessation of the Mâchurer investigation by the Permanent Anti-Corruption Unit (UPAC) paved the way for Jean Charest’s candidacy to succeed Erin O’Toole, but the aspiring chef will probably have to explain himself on the fundraising practices of the Quebec Liberal Party during his time as its leader.
While the prospect of his return to federal politics was barely looming, several of his former opponents in Quebec drew a gloomy portrait of his three terms as prime minister at the end of February.
Representatives of the Coalition avenir Québec, the Parti Québécois and Québec solidaire fired red balls at his ethical record by recalling the appearances of corruption that have tainted his government.
A few days later, UPAC put an end to an eight-year suspense by announcing the end of Mâchurer, of which Mr. Charest was one of the targets, without charges being laid.
The aspiring Conservative leader is also suing the Quebec government because of the leaks in the media of elements of Mâchurer which concern him.
In an interview with TVA on Thursday, Mr. Charest, who is claiming $2 million in damages according to Radio-Canada, hinted that he could settle for an apology.
Over the next few months, however, Mr. Charest exposes himself to having to answer for the appearances of influence peddling created by certain QLP fundraising activities.
The Quebecor media revealed in particular that fundraiser Marc Bibeau organized private parties at his residence bringing together leaders of engineering firms contributing to the PLQ as well as Mr. Charest and ministers of his government, who were subject to the requirement raise $100,000 in political donations each year.
Mr. Charest will also be able to comment on the allegations of pressure and influence peddling made to UPAC by three directors of engineering firms, referring to Mr. Bibeau.
Alexandre Robillard
At the front for Energy East
When TransCanada (now TC Energy) was piloting the controversial Energy East pipeline project in 2014, Jean Charest accepted a consulting mandate for the Alberta oil company.
In January 2015, the commissioners of the National Energy Board (ONE) who were leading the federal review of the project met personally with Mr. Charest at the offices of McCarthy Tétrault in Montreal. However, the members of the ONE did not have the right to discuss a project under study outside the hearings.
Then, in January 2016, Jean Charest had a telephone conversation with a close adviser to Justin Trudeau. The energy east pipeline was then discussed, but the former premier of Quebec was not on the federal registry of lobbyists. He was finally cleared by the federal commissioner of lobbying, after a review of the file. “Mr. Charest was hired by TransCanada to act as an advisor. He was not asked to promote the project or to lobby,” TransCanada later argued.
Alexander Shields