The Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) has the ambition to “professionalize” in the next four years, its leader Éric Duhaime said on Saturday, adding that this work was only beginning.
Members of the formation were gathered in Drummondville to take stock of the last election campaign behind closed doors. Despite winning 13% of the vote, the party did not elect any deputy, not even its leader.
Mr. Duhaime spoke to journalists when he left the balance sheet and said he was “very happy” with how it went, saying that the exercise was done “calmly and respectfully”.
The leader also acknowledged that some Tory candidates had been disappointed with the election results, but assured that the party would remain “looking towards the future” and that people would be “added” to the membership.
“There are people who want us to change things, and we’d be fools not to,” he said.
Asked about his association with the conspiracy fringe, the conservative leader said he would remain firm on his values related to “civil rights and individual freedoms”, which are the “common denominator” of the party, in his words.
No “chicane” with the English-speaking community
Having courted Quebec’s English-speaking community throughout his election campaign, Éric Duhaime took the opportunity to reiterate his opposition to Bill 96.
“Bill 96 is not a law that advanced French in Quebec; it is a law that was intended to target and start a debate — not to say a squabble with the English-speaking community — which we do not subscribe to,” he declared.
Mr. Duhaime also specified that the nationalism of the Conservative Party was “positive”, and that Anglophones were “allies” in the defense and promotion of the French fact in Quebec.
Asked about his nationalist position, the Conservative leader stressed that the PCQ was part of a “post-national question” context and that he intended to include in this debate the English-speaking community, which has “historic rights in Quebec”.
He also alluded to the immigration file, a subject that is likely to “concern more” the party in the coming months, affirming that Quebeckers should “speak with one voice”.
“Virtually everyone in Quebec agrees that Quebec should be in charge of immigration, and that we repatriate our powers in immigration. I don’t want to be an opponent of Mr. Legault on this issue, I want to be an ally, ”he added.
Mr. Duhaime ended his speech by emphasizing that he was “confident” about the evolution of his party, despite the lack of unanimity among its candidates.
This review of the election campaign is part of a context of dissatisfaction within the PCQ, where two groups oppose decisions concerning the future of the political party. While some believe that the Conservative leader must reshuffle his team by replacing his closest collaborators, others would prefer to maintain the status quo.
“I think it’s positive the mixing that is happening now, and I think the party will come out of it stronger,” he concluded.