PLQ leadership: Coderre distances himself from other candidates

Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre presented himself at the headquarters of the Liberal Party of Quebec (PLQ) in the Old Capital on Friday morning to officially indicate his intention to participate in the leadership race which began this week. And he took advantage of the opportunity to launch a first jab at his opponents.

In the light of what we see, the other candidates, you will never see me speaking against them, but it is very valuable, I am the only one who is fit to governlaunched Mr. Coderre, in his own style, in reference to his opponents Pablo Rodriguez, Charles Milliard and Marc Bélanger.

The only person who is capable of talking to people and going out to see the world is Coderrehe added a little later, speaking of himself in the third person. The others will be good, eventually, they will make good ministers, we will help them, but they are not ready to govern.

Mr. Coderre believes that his experience as a minister, federal deputy and mayor of Montreal makes him the person best placed to succeed Dominique Anglade on June 14. But to be chosen by the party, he also relies on his notoriety – a significant quality, according to him, to generate enthusiasm.

If you’re not famous, the world won’t even turn around [sic]. The first step to selling a card [de membre] : people need to recognize you so that you can talk to them. When you look at me, I speak to you. That’s it, the game.

Even if no member of the Liberal caucus has yet offered his support (while most of those who could take a position have already done so), Mr. Coderre remains hopeful of garnering the support of a majority of members of the PLQ.

And [député de] caucus is a member, he recalled. For me, what is important is mathematics. Then we will see who has sold the greatest number of [cartes].

There are some members of the establishment who are against me and that is okay. I am not looking for unanimity; I’m looking for the majority.

Mr. Coderre has already announced that he can count on the support of former Liberal elected officials such as Norman MacMillan, Raymond Bernier and Norbert Morin. Retired Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire was also by his side on Friday. New supports will be presented in time and placepromised the main interested party on Friday.

Denis Coderre therefore presented his declaration of interest to participate in the race for leadership of the PLQFriday. He also paid the $20,000 necessary to take this first step.

The PLQ will now have a week to judge the admissibility of the candidacy of the former mayor of Montreal, whose problems with the tax authorities hit the headlines last year.

On this subject, Mr. Coderre also threatens to sue Revenu Québec, suspecting the agency of having revealed to the press that a legal mortgage had been placed on his house even before it was notified to him.

A 10-point program

In substance, candidate Coderre also revealed on Friday the 10 major themes that he intends to defend over the coming months. If certain proposals are in line with the current positions of the PLQothers risk upsetting certain activists.

Denis Coderre suggests, for example, supporting the GNL Quebec project, while the parliamentary wing of his party voted with the government in 2022 to put an end to research and production of hydrocarbons.

He also proposes to nationalize drinking water; to open the CLSC 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; of rethink the necessity and relevance of School Service Centers; and, above all, to maintain the status quo on the Law on State Secularism (also known as the loi 21), unloved in liberal ranks.

Mr. Coderre had invited the press to the office of PLQ in Quebec on Friday, while his opponents Pablo Rodriguez and Charles Milliard had preferred to mark the occasion on Monday, the day of the official launch of the race for the leadership of the party.

Mr. Rodriguez then confirmed the support of MP Frédéric Beauchemin, who had initially announced that he himself wanted to succeed Dominique Anglade. Mr. Milliard, for his part, presented the support of former Minister of Finance Raymond Bachand.