At least five members of the national executive of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) have given up their places in recent weeks, including its president Denise Peter. Departures following the internal heartbreaks observed this fall in the formation of Éric Duhaime.
In recent days, several names have disappeared from the organization chart of the party’s executive office, on its website. President Denise Peters, whom Éric Duhaime has often presented as a personal friend, is no longer there. Just like the former vice-president of finance Mylène Bouchard (also a candidate in Montmorency).
The duty learned that the President of the Political Commission, André Valiquette, had also left in the last few days. Mr. Valiquette, a former spokesperson for the Montreal Economic Institute (IEDM), is the one who coordinated the development of the party’s program before the elections. He must be replaced by doctor Karim El Ayoubi.
The party has a new president in the person of Donald Gagnon, the party’s defeated candidate in Vanier-Les-Rivières.
“Eric is making changes in his entourage,” explained Jimmy Voyer, who also left the executive earlier this fall. “There are other people who take over and I think that’s fine. The party is heading in the right direction. »
Invited to comment, party spokesman Cédric Lapointe replied that these changes were in the order of things. “It is normal for its people to leave the day after an election. They gave a lot. We thank them. »
According to the spokesperson, these changes are not symptoms of internal fractures. “The good news is that almost all of them remain involved in the party on another level. »
A difficult fall.
The party executive has come under fire since the October 3 election. Many members and candidates blamed Éric Duhaime’s entourage, and especially its managing director Raffael Cavaliere, for the disappointing results of the ballot. The latter is still in office but according to our sources, he too should be replaced shortly.
“The people who stay in place are not the ones we wanted to see stay”, confided a former candidate of the PCQ who judges that even Éric Duhaime could be challenged. “Some of the members are preparing for the vote of confidence and if Eric doesn’t wake up, he’s going to have problems. »
The vote of confidence in Éric Duhaime will take place during the Party congress which is to take place in 2023 on an undetermined date. On the other hand, the members must meet on December 17 for the general council in Drummondville.
The party and its leader have also been sharply criticized by conspiratorial supporters who have criticized them for not having denounced a so-called electoral fraud of which Éric Duhaime was allegedly a victim like Donald Trump.
The Conservative leader is currently touring the regions and is awaiting a decision from the National Assembly on the services to which he may have access at the National Assembly.
He still holds his weekly live show on social media, but rather than talking at length with his supporters, he now does lengthy interviews with special guests. Last week, former President of the National Assembly Jean-Pierre Charbonneau was invited to present the advantages of reforming the voting system.